


Ghost King Reverend Brother Son Enemy Friend Spy

by ForestAshes



Series: The Third Path [2]
Category: (天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 天官赐福 | Heaven Official's Blessing (Cartoon), 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, First Kiss, M/M, Origin Story, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Reincarnation, Secret Identity, Shi Wudu POV during Nether Water Manor, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, Yi City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:42:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 71,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29406417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestAshes/pseuds/ForestAshes
Summary: Explores He Xuan’s family history, his attempt to pass civil examination, imprisonment, time in the Heavenly Court as an official, and relationship with Shi Qingxuan.
Relationships: He Xuan/Shi Qingxuan, Líng Wén & Péi Míng & Shī Wúdù, Shī Wúdù & Shī Qīngxuán
Series: The Third Path [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2160183
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Dragon meets the Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan remembers a special meeting on the way home.

**An Offering**

Strong winds accompanied the pouring rain. The young scholar wiped at his eyes to peer through the thick streams and find temporary shelter. The ledge of a nearby temple down by the end of the road was up ahead. With a sleeve over his forehead, he made his way to the building. He Xuan huddled underneath the gilded roof, unhooking the basket from his back, he lowered it to place on the steps. He lifted up the soaked woven cover and checked his examination booklets. _A bit damp, but s_ _till legible._

After checking each individual booklet, he replaced the cover and began to wrench the water from his clothes. He wiped his hands clean. Thirsty, he cupped his hands to catch the downpour and brought it to his parched throat. Even after several servings, he was still thirsty. He also felt the accompanying hunger of an empty stomach.

_H_ _ome,_ he thought, Just a dozen more _li_ and he would be home. He leaned down and felt something slip out of his pocket. He caught it mid-air before it dropped to the muddy ground. Bringing it back, he held the silky pouch in his palm. Pitch-back with embroidered silver waves. Holding it in his hand, he thought back to the day he received it.

***

_10 years ago…_

He Xuan wandered through the city on his own, stumbling through the hectic marketplace. He passed by scribe stalls, banking institutions, gambling dens, snack vendors, and a multitude of other businesses. He paused by the bamboo figurines stall and purchased a butterfly for his sister. Tucking it into his pocket, he continued on.

Elbowing through the bustling crowds, he managed to get past the thickest of the residents on the main street. He apologized as he moved past. This city was much noisier than his quiet hometown of Fugu. He stumbled by a series of vendors selling trinkets, games, and ornaments. He paused by a talisman stall. He touched the few coins in his sleeve pocket.

“Hey, hey! Here, you look quite bright! Sure to be a high-ranking official when you’re older. Buy a pouch. It’ll be sure to bring you luck.”

He Xuan stared at the talisman pouches, surveying the variations with interest. Turning away from the boy, the vendor then pointed at the child next to him and smacked a closed fist into an open palm.

“Little Miss, already I can tell you’re going to be a beauty when you’re older. Your face is bright, lovely, and full of grace. Buy a pouch! It’ll be sure to bring you bliss!”

He Xuan glanced at the girl beside him. She was petite and exactly as the vendor had exclaimed. Dressed in rich silks from head to toe, like a nobleman’s daughter. A light-green jade ornament hung from her waistband in the image of a phoenix with matching tassel. The ornament jostled as the girl jumped up and complimented the vendor on his sales pitch. The vendor had forgotten about him. Next to this little phoenix, He Xuan suddenly became self-conscious of own humble attire.

Still he continued to look at the ornaments until he found one that he liked. He reached out for it, but instead of landing on the silver pouch, his hand landed on the girl beside him.

“Oh!” The girl exclaimed.

He Xuan pulled his slightly calloused, coarse hand to hide it behind his back. The girl merely stared at the pouch in her smooth, white palm.

“Do you want this one?” She asked.

He Xuan didn’t answer. He hadn’t realized she had been talking to him. Upon realizing she had indeed been talking to him, he shuffled his feet.

“...didn’t you want this one?” He asked.

The girl shook her head. “Not if you want it. Here.”

She held it out to him. When he stared blankly at her outstretched hand, she pulled at the hand he hid behind his back and placed it in his palm. Before releasing his hand, she smiled brightly at him.

“Xuan-er!”

Both children turned around. A taller boy waited at the end of the street. He was wearing silk white robes. Though his face was too distant to see, his demeanor was apparent. The masses parted and gave the impressive youth space, not daring to crowd around him.

“Coming, Ge!” The girl flashed the other boy another smile and then turned. Her long hair rippled by as if in a whirlwind and she ran in the opposite direction, away from He Xuan, and towards the older boy waiting. She took that proud youth’s hand and skipped down the path.

The vendor stared at the dumbstruck boy and attempted to hide his smile. He Xuan clutched the pouch in his hand. He turned to the vendor and gave him two coins from his sleeve.

“Young man, this pouch will be sure to bring you luck! Maybe you’ll meet that little beauty again and marry her!”

He Xuan nodded. He stared at the pouch in his hands as he walked around the market in a daze. He felt a sudden slap on his back. The blow was so hard that he nearly fell forward and lost hold of the pouch.

“What are spacing out for?”

“Qing-er?”

“Xuan-gege, what’s that?” Qing pointed to the pouch.

“Something for luck.”

“It’s pretty.”

“It is.”

He Xuan gave his sister the butterfly he had brought and walked with her to rejoin their parents. Excitedly, Qing stood on her toes to present the bamboo butterfly. Father He pat her on the head and held her hand they strolled through the street.

He Xuan held out the pretty talisman pouch, giving it to his mother for a closer look. She smiled, saying it was a lovely design before handing it back. He Xuan gazed at the pouch in his palm. Upon reflecting on the aesthetic, he thought of an equally charming and pretty smile. Bright and full of grace.

***

He Xuan smiled and tucked the pouch back into his robes. The ledge on the outside of the temple provided enough shelter that he could take his basket into the interior without getting soaked. He placed his books down and explored the inside of the shelter. Rather than a temple, it could have been called a shack.

The doors had long been gone and the walls cracked with mildew and grime. There was a long, plain altar in the middle of the room. There was one item covered in cobwebs and dust on it. He dusted off the plain wooden idol. If it had been gold, it would have been stolen. There was nothing valuable left here. All candle holders, scrolls, and offering plates were gone, except for this lone carving of the God or Goddess formerly worshiped here.

He Xuan brushed the idol with a sleeve. The face and robes were indistinct, but he could make out the soft pattern of a cloud formation on the sleeves and bottom of the robes. He had long heard that a new Wind God or Goddess had yet to ascend. With a few more rubs of his sleeves, he finished cleaning the statue and placed it on the empty altar.

He knelt down and replied. “I don’t have much to offer you, but I am thankful for this shelter. I do not have any incense or food as offerings. I can only recite a poem as gratitude.” He Xuan spoke softly with clasped hands and recited Li Bai's “Mount Heaven’s Gate Viewed From Afar”.

天 门 中 断 楚 江 开 Tiānmén zhōngduàn chǔ jiāng kāi  
碧 水 东 流 直 北 回。 Bìshuǐ dōng liú zhìcǐ huí.

两 岸 青 山 相 对 出 Liǎng’àn qīngshān xiāngduì chū  
孤 帆 一 片 日 边 来。 Gū fān yīpiàn rì biān lái.

Breaking Mount Heaven's Gate, the River Long rolls through,

Its eastward flowing billows hurled back here turn north.

From the two riversides thrust out the mountains blue;

Leaving the sun behind, a lonely sail comes forth.

  
  


Through the open doors, a soft rustling whispered into the abandoned temple. A neglected wind chime, half-broken whistled a few dings before breaking completely apart. He Xuan bowed once and then rose. The rain had stopped. With one last glance, at that lone object on the altar, he sighed, gathered his things, and proceeded to leave.

He walked the several dozen li onward in thick mud. When he finally arrived home, he left his boots and basket at the entrance. Pulling off his damp socks, he called out to his family.

“Mother! Father! Qing-er! I’m home.”

No answer.

Entering the kitchen, he found a fresh bowl of rice and some pickled leeks. He sat at the square table and rested his socks on the floor temporarily. He was simply starved. Eagerly, he picked up a pair of wooden chopsticks, said a prayer, and tucked in.

His mother arrived from outside with fresh harvested greens in her hands. She hobbled on a bamboo pole. He Xuan helped her over the threshold and set her down at a stool. For some reason, it had only rained where he was at and not where their small house was. While the roofs of other homes were slick with rain, there was not a drop to be seen in their neighborhood. Thus, Mother He was quite curious as to how her son was soaking wet. _Oh well, it doesn’t matter,_ she thought.

“Xuan-er, you’re home.”

“Mm-o-thur, wh-e-re,” He Xuan swallowed the mouthful of food, “is everyone?”

Madam He placed the greens into a basin and washed them carefully with a small bowl the size of her hand. She patiently tried to conserve every bit of the vegetable that was edible. The lack of rain for the past several weeks left the cabbages small and dry. As she washed, she sighed. These few cabbages were all they had for a while. Pickling made them last longer, but a family of four could hardly survive on these meager servings.

Before she could answer about the whereabouts of the other half of their family, father and daughter burst through the door.

“Qing-er, that door is on it’s last hinge!”

“It’s fine. After you become a civil official, you will buy new hinges. Better yet, a new house!”

He Xuan shook his head and blocked her as she tried to scoop a handful of rice and leeks from his bowl.

“Stingy!” She stuck out her tongue.

“Where’d you go?”

“To get stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“Stuff.”

“Qing-er,” their father chided.”Just tell him.”

Qing pursed her lips into a pout. “I went to get some material for sewing.”

He Xuan almost spat out his recent mouthful.

“You? Sewing? Why?”

The girl replied fast. “Makingyoulegguards.” When all three of her family members stared at her, she opened her mouth and enunciated every word.

“MAKING YOU LEG GUARDS.”

Mother and Father He bit their bottom lip to stop from laughing. He Xuan smiled and shoved his bowl in front of her. She grabbed a separate pair of chopsticks and finished off the rest of the bowl.

“It’s not supposed to be that cold in the Examination Courtyard this year. You don’t need to make those for me. You should have kept the money for yourself.”

Qing insisted and as brother and sister debated, their parents chuckled and shook their heads. They were young when married, but had their children much later. The siblings often got laughed by having such elderly parents. However the benefit of being older than their peers, made Mother and Father He more patient and easy-going.

“Wife, I’ll take over. You must not take on too much.”

Father He settled down and took the washed cabbage out of her hands. He packed it away into a jar. He lifted up a pitcher and filled a hefty cauldron with rice water. They added salt and sugar to the mix as it boiled, soaking the cabbage in it’s scalding juices. After the mixture cooled down, they added the brine over-top the cabbages in a clay jar and closed it with a waterproof cloth tied shut with rope.

“Qing-er, I’m glad you are so caring for your brother. But you should have stayed home. I heard the Chang Family abducted a young girl south of here.”

“That asshole, I’d like to see him try. Ge, when you take office, catch all those bastards and torture them to death. Use Lingchi! Gouge out their eyes. Make them suffer!” The girl began rolling up her sleeves. She put her foot up on a chair, and gestured for invisible foes to attack. “If I were a man, I’d eat their hearts out in the marketplace!”

Feeling pumped up, she climbed onto the table. She grabbed the bamboo pole her mother used for walking. “Come on, ya little bitch!!” Father and Mother He tried to coax her down. He Xuan shook his head and whispered to them. “Let her get it out of her system.”

Once she calmed down, she asked to go outside. “Xuan-er, can you go with her?” His parents pleaded. He walked with his sister down the street. “What are you up to?” She remained silent until the reason why became apparent. At the end of the road, was a young woman from a few doors over.

Qing-er stole a glance at her brother and then pointed at a flower bush in the distance. “Oh, wow, what a pretty bush!”

_What a conspicuous lie!_

As he approached the young woman, his pace slowed until his worn boots came to a complete stop.

“Yuan Yu...”

“Brother He Xuan...”

“You should be calling him ‘husband’!” Qing shouted from afar.

“Don’t mind her.” He Xuan responded. “Is there something you need? Are you alright?”

The young woman pulled up the basket she had been carrying. Seeing her struggle, he took the basket immediately to lighten her load. Wondering what was in there, he flipped open the cover. There was a bottle of medicine for his mother, bread loaves, dumplings, and fresh vegetables.

“This is just some extras we had.”

Overwhelmed with gratitude, he thanked her. Together, they stood apart, but rooted to the ground. Then Yuan Yu leaned over, kissed He Xuan on the cheek and then ran. Stunned, He Xuan almost dropped the basket. Qing caught it before it reached the ground. She placed it down and then snapped her fingers in front of his face.

“Ge! GE! HE XUAN! AIYOOOOOO!”

“Huh?”

“It’s time to go home.”

“Ah, right. Here, give that to me. I’ll carry it.”

Together, they walked backed to the house. He gave the basket to his mother and retired for the night. When he shut the door, the black wisp that had been trailing after him appeared.

“Xuan-er, are you well?” The Reverend asked affectionately. “You must be. With such a beauty waiting for you. _Will_ she wait for you? A poor scholar? No background. No money. No prospects.”

He Xuan glanced once at the door, kept his mouth shut, and then laid down on his wooden cot. He inserted cloth into his ears. Every few months, this spirit hounded him, sprouting misfortune left and right. Before, when it first arrived, it kept asking if he was ‘Xuan-er’ as if it’s eyes weren’t good.

It whispered simple curses at first.

_You will break the dish. You will fall down._

When these curses came true, it’s eyes seemed to get better and the curses more specific.

_Your mother will fall ill again. Your father will break his arm._

These came true as well.

He Xuan could not hire a cultivator to help him get rid of it and since he was the only person who heard it, he decided not burden his family by telling them either. He kept his eyes closed. After an hour, it seemed to go away. He felt a tug on his arm and shot up.

“Xuan-ge...”

Qing looked a bit worried. She glanced anxiously back at the door, checking to make sure it was shut.

“What is it?”

“A few weeks ago, Sister Yu and I were walking in town. We passed by a Singing House and that scumbag Chang was there. He bullied us, trying to make us accompany him. But lucky for us, there was a Young Master there and he helped us out.”

“Young Master?”

“I don’t know his name. It didn’t seem like he was from around here. But he stood up for us. I think he must have been a cultivator because he spilled his wine onto Scum Chang and it knocked him right out. When no one was looking, I kicked him a couple times. I stomped on that face good and broke his nose.”

“Qing-er, it's all well and nice that someone helped you and Yu-er out, but if he comes for revenge, what then? Will that Young Master be there? What if I’m not there?”

“Then I’ll do it. I’ll save us. Don’t underestimate me just cause I’m a woman.”

He Xuan ruffled her hair. “If this happened a few weeks ago and it’s resolved, why are you telling me now?”

“Ge, just now you looked a bit depressed. Listen, in that moment, when Scumbag Chang was trying to drag us into the Singing House, and everyone was just watching, doing nothing, I lost hope that someone would do something. But then that Young Master came out, said a few words, and we were free. Good will happen. You’ve failed several years now, but this year you’ll definitely pass. Then you’ll become an official and be like that cultivator, helping others, giving hope just like I was in that moment.”

“Since when did you get so philosophical?”

“I learned from the best.”

Qing got up and grinned widely. “Rest well, Ge!” She closed the door behind her and just as door closed, the Reverend returned. He Xuan instantly plugged his ears and rested his body. He turned his body to sleep on his side, so that the spirit could not see his hand resting on the cheek where Yuan Yu had kissed him. He truly believed what Qing-er said would come to pass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The 'Qing' in He Qing's name is the character for "Bamboo", same as MDZS.  
> Scholar Backpack Basket  
> http://m.asian-culture-shop.com/Chinese_Traditional_Handmade_Bamboo_Ware_Bookcase_Ancient_Drama_Scholar_Bamboo_Pack_Basket-180368-  
> Poem  
> http://www.ebridge.cn/v2/multimedia/detail?fid=4&id=268


	2. Narrow Road for Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan goes to the National Examination and meets a Young Master Xiao.

**Shenmu**

A worn, decades old wagon lurched from side to side on the rocky cliff, veering close to the edge. An elderly woman held on the scholar’s arm. The wagon’s open back gave an ample view to the mountainous terrain previously traveled. Hard rocks ranging from small pebbles to large tombstones littered the path.

“Aunt, are you alright?”

The elderly woman squeezed his arm and thanked him for the assistance. He Xuan nodded, but did not smile. Such an old woman to travel all on her own. She was only 10 years younger than his own mother. Most of the other passengers were middle-aged and older. Of the fifteen passengers crammed into the space, only three of them were in their teens. The prospective official was one and a young couple.

While He Xuan opted to sit at the back of the carriage to brace the cold, the young couple sat closest on the interior. The wife was expecting. Her husband held an arm over her back trying to absorb the shocks of the uncomfortable journey. Although people disagreed with traveling at such a late period in her pregnancy, they also reasoned that perhaps the couple wouldn’t be traveling unless they had other options.

A few months ago, sifting through medical booklets, He Xuan read a pamphlet in passing. From what he could remember, he estimated the young woman’s pregnancy at 6 months at least. Her complexion was pale, the color in her cheek ruddy from the chill of the cool temperature. Seeing her complexion start to turn a bit green, the husband unpacked a brown parchment and fed her a thin slice of candied ginger.

The other passengers gazed at the parchment and licked their chapped lips. The wife whispered to her husband and he offered the rest of the package to their fellow passengers. When the morsels arrived to him, He Xuan picked out one slice and ate it. He kept the slice on his tongue, savoring the sweet tangy flavor.

The wagon driver pulled hard on the reigns of the horses, snapping the old leather. With one horse running faster than the other, the vehicle lurched in a sea-saw fashion until it almost completely tipped on it’s side. He Xuan ordered the passengers to lean on the other side and the wagon righted itself. But one of the wheels had fallen into the ditch and was cracked in half. It would take a few hours to change it.

“What shit luck!” The driver exclaimed.

Moving out of the way, several other wagons came through. A few paused, having enough room for a few more passengers, but not all fifteen. It was decided that the elderly should be granted first choice. The elderly woman that had held onto He Xuan was first. He helped her onto the wagon and finally smiled as she waved a weak hand at him.

It was only natural, that although the couple was young, the other folks debated as to whether or not the pregnant young woman should go next. An unborn fetus and it’s mother was just as delicate as someone late in years, but she declined. Her husband also nodded and soon it was just the three teenage youths waiting, in the barren wasteland with their belongings.

After fiddling with the wheel, the driver shook his head and unhitched his horses and responded that he would come back with help when he reached the city. But no one expected him to come back. He Xuan found a nice flat rock and offered it to the young woman. Her husband threw a pieced of thin cloth on it and helped her sit down.

“Bin-ge, it’s getting dark.”

Her husband, Bin, glanced all around the mountainous area. “We’re in Shenmu territory already, so there’s mines around. Maybe we can find a resting place that houses the workers and maybe a piece of coal to keep warm. I’m not going to leave you alone. That’s too dangerous. Can you manage walking for a bit?”

He helped her up and along with He Xuan, they ventured off the main path onto a side road and stopped at every post sign, hoping to be directed to a mine, or better yet, a mining village. He Xuan leaned down to rip out the weeds hanging on the rock and was disappointed that it only led to another diverted road.

As he glanced back at the couple, he noticed that the wife’s pace had slowed. Her eyes closed for small periods and when her husband wasn’t looking, she pinched herself to stay awake. Bin placed down their bags and told the other boy to go ahead of them.

“We’re slowing you down. You can go first.”

“No, go ahead and take care of her. I can help you carry your bags.”

“I couldn’t ask that.”

Although the young man declined, He Xuan picked up their bags and added them to his basket. Bin picked up his wife by the crook of her legs and shoulders. She asked to be put down, but he refused. With his wife in his arms, he walked a great deal faster, anxious to find shelter. Night was quickly falling.

He Xuan reached out to pull on Bin’s arm. “You hear that?”

“Horses. At least 2 of them.”

Sure enough, in a few minutes, a red carriage barreled through the path. It ran straight past them and halted a few _zhang_ ahead. The driver of the carriage waved at them and though hesitant, the trio quickly made their way. The prestigious carriage had four wheels to support it’s massive structure. There were three separate compartments and roofs for the first and third.

The driver glanced at the young pregnant woman and encouraged the couple to board.

“Well, come on then,” he said,” don’t wait till she freezes to death!” A fan instantly slapped the driver on the back of the head.

“Don’t say that.” A young man, dressed in fine white robes popped his head out. “There’s only me in my carriage. Plenty of room. I just happened to have seen you, and decided to lend a hand. It’s nothing difficult for me, anyways.”

The driver who was a bit more astute in observing people noted their reluctance. “Whatever trouble you’re both in, no worries. It won’t get my Master in trouble. You don’t need to concern yourselves with that. If we’re helping, it’s because we’re capable.”

“Then, thank you. It is much appreciated.”

They stepped inside the carriage. Silver and gold gilded the interior of the floral wallpaper. The seats were full of goose feathers and upholstered with embroidered brocade. The floor was carpeted with wool and fur pelts marked each seating where passengers could put their feet. The young man gestured for them to take any seat. Once seated, he used an iron tong to drop a heated coal into two cloisonne vessels. Then he offered the hand warmers.

He Xuan waited for the couple to receive theirs before moving to accept one from the young nobleman. Copper wire twisted and spiraled into peonies with coiled vines, charmingly situated before looming mountains running alongside a tempestuous sea. Even one of these containers could match the entire income of the Fugu County.

And yet the gentleman, sitting across from him, appeared quite ordinary. A second appraisal granted the youth a fair, beautiful countenance. He was young, the same age or younger. His hands were unblemished and soft like billowing clouds. A life of leisure often promoted the longevity of one’s beauty.

Shi Qingxuan figured that it would be best to choose an alias that he liked best for traveling. It comprised of two characters he liked and one he did not.

“I’m Xiao Xingchen. How may I address all of you?”

Lifting his hands away from the warmer, he placed one over the other in greeting Young Master Xiao. Though the couple did not display dangerous designs, their reluctance to board the carriage and the incongruity of their occupations as farmers were suspicious to say the least.

“Xue Chengmei.”

“From 成人之美 _Chéng rén_ _zhī měi?”_

“Yes.”

“It is a good name. Very scholarly. Are you headed to Shenmu for the examination? ”

“ Yes.”

Young Master Xiao turned his attention to the couple.

“I’m Yi Bin and this is my wife, Lin Yan.”

“Lin? Of the Yulin Lin Clan?”

He Xuan frowned as his brows knitted tightly together. The trouble was much larger than he had calculated. The Lin Clan was one of four of the richest families in the Shaanxi province.

“My grandfather wanted to make a marriage alliance with the Shen clan. All of my aunts and cousins are already married. I am married too, but they never publicly announced my marriage because my husband is considered low born.”

“But if you’re already married...”

Lin Yan squeezed her husband’s hand and Yi Bin continued.

“They plan on killing me and the child and then presenting her as a bride anyway. If the Shen find out about it, it’ll be too late to change anything and they’ll work at covering it up as well to hide the embarrassment of being deceived.”

“They won’t even let an infant go?” Young Master Xiao spoke quietly and then he shook his head. “It’ll be fine. I’ll help you.”

“We don’t want to bring you or anyone else trouble.”

“Don’t worry. There’s only one truly scary person in this world and it’s my brother. We just have to get you to cross the border right? Do you have anyone meeting you?”

“We’re meeting my brother.”

“I’ll make sure you get there. Please don’t give birth before then, alright?”

Yi Bin placed a hand on Lin Yan’s belly. “Don’t come out yet, you heard?” As if responding, the baby kicked. “All of sudden, you want to talk, huh?”

“Is it going to be a boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

Rummaging around, he found a silk lined blanket trimmed with fur and handed it to them. He pointed to the last compartment.

“There’s a bed there. You can rest when you’re ready.”

“We couldn’t.” Lin Yan protested.

“No, it’s fine. If I’m going to help, I’m going to help all the way. Please, I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink at all otherwise.”

Helping her up, Yi Bin guided her to the last compartment. After they left, Young Master Xiao closed the door to the present room. He and ‘Xue Chengmei’ were alone. His mouth pursed together in a dour expression at the sudden silence. The oil from the lamp was burning low and he was too lazy to add more. 

He Xuan unpacked a wooden box from his basket. Inside were apple slices in the shapes of rabbits. The proportions were askew where the rabbits heads were twice the size of the bodies. A slight smile formed on his lips. Qing-er really needed to work on her cutting skills. He offered one to Young Master Xiao.

“These are cute.” He peeled the top of the rabbit’s head and popped it into his mouth. The juice from the fruit soaked into his lips, making them appear as red as the apple skin. Soft and luscious like the petals of peony bud unfurling. He Xuan refocused his attention on the slice in his hand and continued to eat. When all slices were gone, he placed the box back in the basket. Young Master Xiao was glancing back at the closed door in the middle of the carriage. 

“The Middle compartment is too small to sleep in. I hope Scholar Xue won’t be too offended having to share with me. I'm a poor host.”

“I don’t mind these accommodations. I’m grateful for them.”

Young Master Xiao stood up and tiptoed to the middle compartment to retrieve several blankets. More than several. Five. He Xuan crammed into a corner as the youth lined the floor with three of the thickest quilts. He placed two box pillows down and then removed his shoes, socks, and outer robe. He tried to fold them neatly, but the more he tried, the more it resembled a sentient ball of fabric. Giving up, he hoisted a blanket into his arms and unfurled it before burrowing in.

He Xuan scratched at his neck. He had shared rooms before with others during the previous journeys to Shenmue, but they were all of the same class. His clothes were worn, but clean and he had bathed. He undressed to his inner garments and folded them neatly beside his basket. Reaching over, he folded the white outer robes as well.

He pulled the pillow a bit further away and pulled the covers over as he laid down. Closing his eyes, he went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, he woke up and found that Young Master Xiao was tossing and turning in his sleep.

“Just sleep.” He Xuan murmured. Hearing the command, the body straightened out immediately. Thinking this young nobleman had some strange sleeping habits, he shook his head. Using the dimming Lantern light, he found the other blanket and pulled it up.

“Don’t be mad, Ge. I’m trying. I’m tr...”

The confident attitude from earlier was replaced with uncertainty and doubt. He Xuan glanced at the luxurious carriage, fleece lined blankets and collar of the silk inner garments. If all these possessions didn’t give a person confidence, then what does? Dismissing the thoughts as none of his business, he slid back down to his side of the blankets to rest.

In the morning, there was a commotion outside the carriage. He Xuan tried to get up, but a heavy weight barred him from rising. When he opened his eyes, he found Young Master Xiao resting on top of him. Gently, he tried to pry the boy off, but as fragile as he appeared, he had arms of steel.

He was unaware that for Shi Qingxuan, other than his brother, there was nothing scarier than rising from a comfortable bed in the early morning. He Xuan, on the other hand, rose early and often. He tapped the boy’s shoulders, but Young Master Xiao shook his head.

Pushing himself up with his elbows, He Xuan was able to sit up, but the boy had not let go. He Xuan sighed and listened to the arguing outside. The carriage was not in motion, so they must have been stopped. Alarmed by the escalating argument, he whispered, “There’s trouble. Get up.”

“That tickles...”

The carriage door ripped open. He Xuan’s back was to the entrance and he felt the cool air whip in. He heard the driver plead for his Young Master not to be bothered. Two other voices were heard. At first, they were shocked by the sight of the two intertwined young men in the middle of the floor, but quickly remembered their priority. Young Master Xiao’s eyes fluttered open.

“Sir, we were wondering if you have seen these farmers?”

“I haven’t seen any farmers. I’ve been kind of _preoccupied._ ”

The long lashes lowered demurely and then rose to look at side of He Xuan’s face. The two officers glanced at one another, but this show of intimacy did not deter them.

“This woman, at least, have you see her?”

The young master lowered half of his face, hiding it behind his _lover’s_ chest. “I’m not really someone who notices the ladies.”

He Xuan was getting goosebumps all along his arms, the longer this continued.

“What about him?”

_Damn, they were persistent!_

The two ink paintings were given to Young Master Xiao. He loosened his grip and gave the papers to the other man.

He Xuan glanced at the papers and then replied. “You’re the only one in my eyes.”

The papers were returned and the door was shut. When the carriage started moving again, Young Master Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and then scooted back to his side of the floor. He found his nicely folded clothes and dressed. He Xuan imitated his host. When he had turned, Young Master Xiao was folding the blankets.

“I’m sorry about involving you to provide a distraction.”

He Xuan said nothing and merely folded his own blankets.

“...are you mad about it?”

“No, I understand. There was no reason why the last compartment wasn’t being used. If you said a different reason, they would have become more suspicious and there’s no where to hide Madam Lin. Giving them the impression that these were the actions of impatient lovers was probably the best option, especially since you hadn’t thought this far ahead.”

“We’ve entered Shenmu already. It’ll be better to leave in a few hours, just in case they’re still suspicious of the carriage.”

“What if, when I leave the carriage, I go and tell those officers what I know.”

“You won’t do that.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I think you’re a good person.”

He Xuan scoffed. Those were the words of a naive, pampered nobleman. “What evidence do you have for this?”

“I don’t think someone who would make sliced apples into rabbit shapes would make them for someone who wasn’t a good person and you wouldn’t have smiled when you saw them if you were a bad person.”

Standing at opposite ends of the compartment, the two youths squared off.

“You know the saying, ‘The road is narrow for enemies’?”

“Are you my enemy?”

“You accepted our company so easily.” He nodded at the back compartment to include the couple. “We could have stabbed you and taken all your valuables. It’s quite the opportunity. Perhaps you lucked out this time with Master Yi, Madam Lin, and me, but what about the future?”

Young Master Xiao remained quiet and then smiled to himself.

“Now I _know_ you really are a good person. Thank you for advice.”

He took a few steps forward and took the folded blanket into his hands. He turned and packed them away into the middle compartment. He found a box of pastries and snacks. He knocked on the door to back compartment and gave them a box, giving them an update of the earlier incident. After warning them not to come out just yet, he returned to the first room.

He offered two boxes to He Xuan. The first box had several sections. Each was filled with treats. He had often seen these being eaten by the children of wealthier families. There were puffy sesame seed balls, flaky sweetheart pastries, and mooncakes filled with lotus paste and salted yokes.

In the smaller box, sugar figurines shaped into phoenixes and dragons, pear-syrup candies, small sticks of individually wrapped tanghulu, and wisps of stringy white dragon’s beard candy curled upward like a cocoon. Less showy than the rest were plain, rounded pearls of hardened sugars.

The driver knocked on the door and handed Young Master Xiao two large baskets. Excited he frowned upon seeing the boxes. The driver handed him two red flowered shaped stacked meal baskets.

“What are these?”

“Wedding boxes.”

“I know they’re wedding boxes. _Why_ are they wedding boxes?”

“I went to the best seller in the city. I asked for stacked boxes, the best quality. They gave me these. Of course Wedding boxes would be the best quality. I was in a rush to buy food, so I just accepted them. You can always give them away later. You spend money like it’s water anyway.”

“I don’t need you judging my spending. Fine, fine. At least there’s food. Did you get everything on the list? Did you eat too?”

“Of course. I’m going to run a few errands. I’ll be back. Eat well.”

“Thanks.”

Young Master Xiao went and delivered one of the stacked boxes to the last compartment. He Xuan was sitting on the wool carpet. He was eating the hardened sugar pearls. There was no smile or visible sign of delight, but the quantity had lessened.

Bringing over the stacked wedding box, he unpacked the tiers. The first tier was crumbled flatbread in Mutton Stew, thick noddles as wide as a jade belt with spicy tender beef flanks, a gourd chicken, and fish in milk soup.

Young Master Xiao diligently gave him a generous serving of each of these main dishes and then all the sides dishes of steamed greens, varied herbs like mint and chives to balance the savory. Bits of hot stew fell onto his finger and the ladle he had used to pour the stew dropped with a splash.

“If you’re not used to doing it, don’t do it. You’re as clumsy as Qing-er.”

“Whose Qing-er?”

“My sister.” He Xuan took a bottle of aloe from his waistband and applied it on the burned finger. There was no spare bandage cloth and he didn’t dare use anything from the young man’s personal inventory. He lifted up the hem of his outer robe and ripped a bit off the second layer. He used it to bandage the finger.

“You should be a doctor.”

“It’s just a burn. Don’t call me if you’re dying.”

The black wrap on his finger was excessive, making a mountain of a molehill. With this giant stub held out, he picked up his spoon and was about to sip when the scholar stopped him.

“You didn’t blow on it enough. I can’t bandage your tongue if it burns. Blow on it some more or wait a while longer. You’re not from Shaanxi, so you don’t know they package their foods for long travels. Even if the spiciness doesn’t have you weeping, then accidental burning will. I don’t have enough clothes to bandage you.”

“We could use mine.”

He Xuan pointed at the thin, translucent layers. “Those layers won’t even keep a chicken warm, much less be useful to help in bandages. You can eat now. The steam has gone down.”

Young Master Xiao ate slowly out of habit while his companion had finished two bowls. There was just enough left for one more bowl. The nobleman encouraged him to eat the rest. He Xuan stared at the gourmet dishes, the likes of which he and his family had never eaten before.

“What are you going to do with the rest if I don’t eat it?”

“Don’t worry about it. If you’re full, you’re full. I’ll eat it. It won’t go to waste.”

“I’ll eat it.” The scholar filled his bowl and began to eat. “No wonder you’re so light. You eat like a bird.”

The young man’s cheeks flushed a deep scarlet. At first, He Xuan thought it was due to the dish's spiciness, but then he realized that his comment was a reminder of their earlier intimacy. _How would he know Young Master Xiao was light?_ The Young Master had slept on top on him for an entire night.

The final few hours passed and the driver gave him the cue that the roads were deserted. Young Master Xiao saw him off. He scratched at the back of his neck, the coarse linen leaving faint redness on the soft skin.

“Good luck on your examination, Scholar Xue.”

“I’ve been much obliged by your assistance, Young Master Xiao. Take care.”

“Take care.”

He Xuan founded a mediocre inn to settle in, filled with scholars like himself. Most were eating at the provided diner on the ground floor. The owner escorted him to a closet on the east side. It was actually a room, but it was not that far off from being a closet. However, that’s all that the poor scholar could afford.

There was just enough room for a bed, though not long enough to accommodate his full height. He sat cross-legged on the uncomfortable wooden mat. He uncovered his basket, taking out all the contents. At the top, he noticed an unfamiliar cloth. Gingerly, he lifted the cloth out and placed it on his lap. He unraveled the messy, almost impossible knot. There was a box inside containing sweets.

Because the walls were thins, He Xuan covered his mouth to stop from laughing. _What are you, my_ _sweetheart_ _? Packing things in such a way._ All of the candied sweets from earlier were filled to the brim so that the box could not close properly.

_A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring._ This described this young master perfectly.

There were also a set of osmanthus cakes, slightly broken by his carelessness. But he ate every bit, picking at the crumbs. The cloth, he decided to fold and neatly tucked it away into the black pouch with silver waves. Placing it back, he kept everything by the foot of the bed. Curled onto the woven bed, he slept.

It was strange that during this time, the Reverend had not come. But He Xuan had strange dreams nevertheless. His arms were heavy, but the load he carried he carried was light.

_What is it?_

When he glanced down, he discovered there was a person in red wedding robes. The face was hidden by a veil. There was was something unearthly about the being in his arms. The figure’s hands were draped around his neck. He Xuan felt himself rest his cheek against the top of the figure’s veiled head.

“Turn Back.”

A voice admonished. He Xuan turned around and clutched at the body in his arms tighter. The source of the voice was no where to be found, but the invisible pressure of a formidable foe was behind him.

“Hold on.” He whispered to the figure. The grasp around his neck tightened as He Xuan began to run through the forest with the immense force behind him. The red wedding veil slipped away and the figure was lifted from his grasp.

He came face to face with a young man in his twenties, wearing black robes. Tenderly he pressed the displaced veil back on the figure.

“Who are you?”

The man in black robes smiled, canine teeth revealed on both sides. “Isn’t it obvious?” When the boy shook his head, the man answered. “I’m you.”

A shock expelled him from the dream. When he became aware of his surroundings, the inn’s walls with its flaking paint became familiar. Sitting up to get his basket, he rummaged through it and found a mirror. He checked his features and mouth. Not much of a resemblance there. Even if he were to grow to be the same age, there wouldn’t be a resemblance.

_You ate too many sweets,_ he mused.

But he couldn’t sweep the unsettling anxiety lingering in his gut. The belief that when he held that figure in his arms, he was carrying something that wasn’t his. The fear of the immense force bearing down on him felt genuine. He touched the back of his neck. Instead of the touch of those pale ghostly hands, there were beads of sweat.

He rose and asked for directions to the communal bathing area. A warm bath soothed the aching joints from the travel. He sank into the waters completely. While immersed, the sensation of the dreams fragments that were quickly fading evoked the same impressions, of drowning.

Mimicking the experience, he shot up, his arms reaching for the edge of the wooden basin. Buckets of displaced tub water spluttered onto the stone floor. Exhausted, he pulled himself out, dried, and dressed like an empty husk. He staggered back to his room and collapsed back on his bed. Falling asleep again, this time, he dreamed nothing and slept better for it.


	3. Freedom Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan prepares for his examination and then heads home.

The Examination Courtyard had expanded since the previous year. The previous grounds that could only hold 500 applicants, now housed a hundred more. Each individual after being marked on the roster by birth location and name were shuffled into three queues.

The first and foremost line had several proctors and that were settled in the quickest comprised of youths attired like the an illustrated catalog of Chang’an’s latest fashions.

The second line, in the middle housed a flock of peacocks. Necks, arms and waists were weighed down with gold, gems, and ego. They batted their sleeves impatiently, complained of scorching heat, although there was no sun, and each possessed an attendant to fan their bodies.

The last line were of a humbler stock. Plain, threadbare apparel sheathed the bodies from the possibility of fickle elements and modestly shielded prying eyes from admiring the gaunt, skeletal frames underneath. A keen eye recognized that only interred corpses could rival these organisms.

He Xuan’s line moved slowly, the length of three bodies aligned from head to toe, after half an hour. Thankfully he had arrived earlier, rising at twilight, and camped out a spot. Years of practice made him privy to the ends and outs of civil examinations and yet, in spite of this, he continuously failed.

Standing a couple paces away, the applicant in front of him slid _‘recommendation letter_ _s_ _’_ to each of the proctors. Then he took his testing papers and bowed. He Xuan greeted the proctors, giving his name and address. They stared at the empty hands and then motioned for him to move along after he received his papers.

The young man after him also gave _‘recommendation letter_ _s_ _’._ For a moment, he considered asking about it, but talking was forbidden upon entering the testing grounds. Stark white cells stretched in a dozen rows of fifty individualized cells. Each cells provided a sitting bench and desk. Covered on three sides, the front was left open which faced the back of the previous cell. A number was arranged near the top at the back wall. He Xuan glanced at the number on the paper, walking through the middle of the units.

_111, 265, 290, 389, 399, 400, 410, 422, 433, 444…_

There it was. 444. He Xuan lowered his basket and placed the inkpot and brushes to one side. Two lead weights pinned the papers flat. After settling into his bench, he waited an hour, collecting his thoughts. He pondered over the previous year’s chosen topics while laying out the clay mortar. He lifted a small pitcher to add water to the back reservoir. Dragging a inkstone from the water he ground the pigment in circles.

With the first portion, he wrote out his thoughts on the authoritative works of Confucius. He Xuan reviewed the texts in his mind before committing them to paper. Any misquote was an automatic fail.

The second portion was centered around an examinee’s logical acumen. Given the crisis of a landslide crippling access to main roads and hardship for the citizens, in what ways should public funds be best allocated?

Referring back to the texts, he cited each chapter from the Rites of Zhou. This text clearly stated the necessity of capable individuals holding office and how each position though separated by divisions should be united as a whole to serve under one function. To serve the people.

The first course required absolute perfection in the re-copying of necessary quotations. The second was more creative. There were multiple scholars who only excelled in one of these areas. Thus, the most dreaded part of the exam was the final course.

_The Devastating Eight-Legged Essay._

Otherwise known as the Eight Boned Text. Most scholars when faced with the final task of limitations of the strict format have been known to pale and require medical attention during the construction. During the previous years, one elderly scholar in his 40’s ascended to the heavens after writing the conclusion.

Realizing that he was about to die and not wanting to smear his work, he lifted his papers onto his back and pinned it down with a lead weight. He was acknowledged posthumously and survived by his wife, two sons, and three grandchildren.

He Xuan breathed in and stared at the final examination course. Gathering his thoughts, he lifted up his brush and began to write.

**The Essay Topic:**

If the people have plenty, their lord will not be left to want alone.

1\. 破題 Pòtí (Opening the Topic):

When the people at the bottom of society are prosperous, the ruler above will be prosperous too.

2.承題 Chéngtí (Receiving the Topic):

This is because the prosperity of the ruler is something that is stored among the people; if the people are prosperous, why should there be any reason that the ruler alone is poor?

3\. 起講Qǐjiǎng:(Beginning the Discussion):

Youruo profoundly gave advice to Duke Ai of Lu on the unity of the ruler and the people. He explained that the Duke had raised taxes because the state lacked revenues; in order to yield sufficient revenues, shouldn't he first take care for that the people might have enough to live off?

4\. 起股 Qǐgǔ (Initial Argument):

Sincerely carrying out the method of thorough tithing a hundred mu of land, with sparingness in mind and love for the people in the heart, this means that when levying the tithe, this happens with the intention not to harm the ability of the people to nourish themselves; and that what the labour of the people brings about, would not be brought to distress by taxation; and what the people owns, would not be exhausted by aggregate levies.

In the villages there would be accumulation and sufficient storage of grain, and there would be no worries for what is called "serving those above" and "supporting those below.In the settlements and fields, there would be an abundance of millet, and there would be no sorrows about what is called "nourishing the living" and "seeing off the dead".

6\. 中股Zhōnggǔ: (Central Argument):

If the people have enough, why should the ruler alone be poor?

Knowing that "I, as a ruler, could dispose at will of everything that is stored in the villages", it would not be necessary to bring it into the state warehouses, later claiming they were "my the ruler's own resources".

The ruler could freely use everything what is accumulated in the fields, and it would not be necessary to amass it in the state granaries, later claiming that they were "my possessions".

Having unlimited potential to use resources, why should a ruler be worried not to obtain what he requires? Having boundless access to everything, why should a ruler fear to be unprepared in case of need?

7\. 後股Hòugǔ: (Latter Argument):

Sacrificial animals and grains for offerings are abundant for the supply of offering ceremonies. Jades and silks, and square and round vessels are abundant for the need of the court audiences. And even if not sufficient, the people would give their ruler what they have, so what shortage could there be?

8.束股Shùgû (Final Argument):

Delicate dishes, meats and wines suffice for guests at the court; carriages and horses, weapons and armour suffice to carry out military expeditions. And even if not sufficient, the people would respond with what they have themselves, so what shortage could there be?

9\. 大結 Dàjié (Big Knot/Conclusion):

The introduction of the tithing method was originally for the benefit of the people, and it sufficed to meet the state expenditure. Why therefore should one raise taxes to achieve more prosperity?

He Xuan checked over his essay for inconsistencies and misspellings. He held the papers, in an attempt to catch the light, to ensure that every stroke of ink had dried. It had been a week of continual testing. Using the desk as leverage, he supported himself up by the elbows. Rising, he massaged the numbness out of his legs. Spasm of pains riddled the muscles that were reactivated.

The cell rows tapered into a central building, a miniature of the Chang’an’s official Ministry of Rites. Guards lined the exterior and interior of the institution. He Xuan was escorted to the exam proctor and spoke his number. The imperial seal on each corner of his papers were checked for legitimacy and accepted. Final steps completed He Xuan was escorted out, left on the front steps of the establishment.

Stark, empty cells greeted him on the walk back to his own. He packed his items away back into his basket and hauled the straps onto his shoulder. As soon as he left the testing courtyard, he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt lighter. He Xuan had arranged for a wagon to take him back to the outskirts of Fugu where he would walk the rest of the way home.

The trek back would take almost a week, where in the roster of successful candidates would be posted in 2 weeks. He sat towards the open back of the wagon yet again, but his fellow passengers were other scholars this time. Several of them passed around a catty of wine. When offered some, he drank a bit to join in the celebration. The merriment of the enthusiastic candidates soon turned sour. One scholar, perhaps slightly inebriated, Pu Sungling, pointed at himself and then addressed the rest of the wagon.

“When a scholar first enters the examination compound and walks along, panting under his heavy load of luggage, he is just like a beggar. Next, while under-going the personal body search and being scolded by the clerks and shouted at by the soldiers, he is just like a prisoner. When he finally enters his cell and, along with the other candidates, stretches his neck to peer out, he is just like the larva of a bee. When the examination is finished at last and he leaves, his mind in a haze and his legs tottering, he is just like a sick bird that has been released from a cage.”

The other scholars were silent. Instead of responding, they gave the catty to Pu Sungling. The young man tipped the jar over his face and drowned his sorrows. After 20 minutes, in a better mood, he began to entertain the other men with strange tales of immortals, fox demons, ghosts, and the ordinary mortals they cross passed with.

He Xuan listened intently to these tales, tempted to jot them down to retell Qing-er when he got home. The atmosphere lightened and the next few days on the journey back were pleasant. By the time, he arrived back in Fugu, it was almost pitch black. Cloaked in darkness, he followed the side roads that he had known since he was a toddler.

Knocking on the door, he peered inside and found a single candle sitting on the kitchen table. In his parents’ room, there was whispering. Qing-er’s room was empty. Concerned, he knocked on his parent’s door and called for them.

Father and Mother He came out to the kitchen and sat around the table. Their eyes met one another and then darted to Qing’s empty room and then once faced with their son, started weeping uncontrollably. Behind them, the Reverend morphed into the image of Qing.

“Xuan-ge,” the Reverend imitated, “do you know where I am?”

Ignoring the fake, He Xuan sat down, and reached out for the hands of his parents.

“Where is Qing-er?”

“...not just Qing-er...Miss Yuan as well.”

The Reverend morphed into Yuan Yu and stared at him. He Xuan waited for his parents’ explanation. When one stopped talking, the other continued. This process repeated several times. He organized the thoughts in his mind chronically, afraid to feel the depth of emotion lurking.

He Xuan stood up and headed out. “I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going to?”

“To the Yamen. There’s a new magistrate transferred in, maybe he’ll listen.”

Father and Mother He exchanged looks, but said nothing. They were going to get dressed, but He Xuan shook his head. “Get some rest.”

The Yamen sat in the middle of the county. The roads were deserted with only two zhuang guarding the front of the building. They cast a lazy eye towards He Xuan as he picked up the designated mallets and began banging on the large drum. Curious villagers peeked out of the boarded windows of their homes.

It had been almost 3 years since someone dared to seek justice by beating the drum on the Yamen. Magistrates were transferred every 3 years to prevent corruption, but after 12 years of each administrator being bought off, the villagers of Fugu lost hope of ever receiving fairness.

The new magistrate, was from a Southern Hubei clan by the name of Chao. Records indicated that Judge Chao was a relatively new official, passing the civil examination some 10 years prior at the age of 25. Since moving in a couple weeks, none of the common villagers had seen him. Now he appeared, a simple man, made plainer by the Judge’suniform. Guards in black uniforms waited on the left and right sides of the courtroom. Judge Chao sat in his chair and smacked a wooden block onto his desk.

“Summon the aggrieved to the court.”

He Xuan was ushered by two attendants. He knelt and greeted the Judge. “Your Excellency.”

“Who are you?”

“Your Excellency, my name is He Xuan. I am a citizen of Fugu.”

“What’s the injustice brought against you?”

“Two young girls have been abducted. One is my my kin relation, He Qing. The other is a fellow villager Yuan Yu. They have been abducted by the Chang Clan.”

Judge Chao’s face colored slightly at the mention of the Chang Clan. However he noted that multiple spectators had crowded around to watch this first case of injustice and he could not risk showing favoritism. He ordered a runner to go and send orders for a representative of the Chang Clan to be sent to court.

Shortly thereafter, a representative did come. It was Chang Cian and his two sons, Chang Ping, and Chang Chai, who came and knelt down with He Xuan in the courtroom. They introduced themselves and waited with abated breath as the charges of ‘abduction’ and ‘coercion’ were bought against them.

“Your Excellency, this is an injustice! We have been slandered. We have lived honorable and decent lives and never wronged anyone. It is true we have welcomed two concubines to our estate, but they are legal additions I assure you.”

“Bring them forth then.”

Chang Cian exchanged glances with his sons before saying in a low voice. “Very well, then. Your Excellency.”

It took nearly a half hour before two wooden slats were brought in. A cloth covered both. He Xuan’s eyes burrowed into the opaque white cloth. He said nothing at the moment, hoping that whatever his mind was thinking could not possibly be true.

“Your Excellency, we have bought them as you requested.”

Judge Chao ordered that the faces be uncovered and for a coroner to be bought forth. The white cloths on the separate slats were pulled down and He Xuan gulped.

“Are these the persons you mentioned in your grievance?”

“...Yes, Your Excellency.” Numbness set into his soul as it had already set into his body. He glanced at the coroner leaned down to check the corpses. _Corpses, he thought, is that what they are now? Just two weeks ago, they were so alive and well._

The coroner pointed to Yuan Yu and said, “This Lady died of hanging. There are no defensive marks on her hands or elsewhere, so this is very likely a suicide.” He motioned to Qing and replied, “There is a great deal of bruising all along the arms, onto the back. I think death from a severe beating is the cause of death.”

“Then it’s murder. Your Excellency, please charge them with murder.” He Xuan’s quiet voice echoed in the hushed courtroom before Chang Cian and Chang Chai started shouting obscenities.

“YOU DARE LIE!! YOU DAMNED BASTARD!!”

The crowds were silent, afraid to even gaze in the Chang Clan's direction. They hovered at the edges of the entrance, enthralled by the events unfolding, but fearful that any glance their way would make them targets later on. 

“IT’S TRUE!!!! THEY’RE MURDERERS! LIARS! ABDUCTORS!!! FOUL BEASTS!!!”

An elderly woman’s loud voice shouted from the parted crowd. She hobbled into the courtroom and knelt down.

“Sir, I can be a witness as to the murders at the Chang Manor and a great many other crimes too.”

“FOUL WENCH!!! YOU-!!!

Justice Chao banged his gravel on the desk, seeking silence and resumed questioning the woman.

“I am Bu Hui. I am a servant of Chang Estate and have been working there since I was thirty. I will speak to the young girls here, who are only two of many that have come before them. The older lady, Yuan Yu, was abducted and made to be Master Chang Cian’s concubine. She was so ashamed, she hung herself.

The younger girl, He Qing, was less delicate, more willful. She refused to be Master Chang Chai’s 4th concubine. So she was dragged out into the courtyard and threatened with beating. I will never forget her words.”

“You dare, bitch!” Chang Cian glared at the elderly woman.

“Ever since you snatched my grand-daughter and butchered my son, what wouldn’t I dare?” Calmly with her head rose high, she repeated He Qing’s last words.

“You animal! Thankless wretch! Lower than low bastard! Your parents must’ve made love in a pigpen for a son of a bitch like you to happen! You’re just a germ who grew up eating shit! Fuck you shameless filth! You’re all a bunch of shameless pieces of shit! Your whole damn family! Hah! Beat me to death! Go ahead! Better to be dead than be in bondage to all you degenerates! I hope that when I die, I haunt all of you to death. I’ll gather up every soul that you’ve ever wronged and we’ll become an army to feast on your flesh and bones! MARK MY WORDS, YOU BITCH!”

Chang Cian was seething in anger, his hands clenched in tight fists. Chang Chai glared at the corpse as though she could be beaten to death again. The youngest son, Chang Ping, was pale and trembling as he once again heard word for word, that terrifying account of He Qing’s malediction.

Judge Chao allowed the Chang to speak in their own defense.

“Your Excellency, this old woman is a disgruntled former servant of our family. She was let go after she stole from us. This is defamation! What proof is there of her lies?”

Chang Cian had realized that perhaps it was best to change his tack on how he had handled his responses, so he spoke in a honeyed tone which contrasted sharply with his cold eyes.

“I have my own grievance as well that I would like to address in regards to this case.”

“You may go ahead and state them.”

“Concubines as you know, do not bring a dowry when they come into a household. Only their bodies. Now one was willful after marrying into our family and was as you noted to be unfilial in her speech. How can we allow such a person to be a part of our family? It was a disgrace.”

He Xuan bridled his anger and stored it as he gazed at Qing-er’s pale face. Her torn lip showed how much she gritted her teeth when she died. Yuan Yu’s neck was blackened from chin to collar. Neither was a peaceful death. How much they much have cried for him? How much they much have cried for their families?

Chang Cian continued to talk. “Yuan Yu was a pretty girl. She was also poor. Her parents had long offered her to us. Now, I thought surely such a beauty would not have been without a sea of admirers, but they promised me she was of good virtue. I was deceived. She already had a lover!”

He pointed at He Xuan. “She couldn’t bear to be parted from him, but couldn’t disobey her parents. So she killed herself in my house. How disagreeable!!! I can’t seek retribution from her, but there is still the other adulterer here. Your Excellency, please find justice for me.”

Judge Chao called forth several ‘witnesses’ all commoners that could be paid off afterwards. All willing to ally themselves with the Chang for the reward of a tael of silver. That their souls and Yuan Yu, Qing-er, and He Xuan’s lives could be brought so cheaply, he wondered what value was there to live in such a world, among such people?

He Xuan heard the last of Chang Cian’s speech through a filter as he stared at the dead bodies. If there were people who could be this shameless and disgusting in public, imagine how much worse they were behind closed doors. He wondered just how much Yuan Yu suffered before she decided that she could not endure anymore.

And Qing-er, she was just a child. Still playing with dolls and make-believe. He didn’t even have the chance to tell her Pu Songling’s stories. In his grief, he could stir to utter much in his defense. Clearly and distinctly, he said “I am not and never have been an adulterer.”

Compared to the stammering and stuttering of witness testimonies, his was the lone honest one in the stampede of lies. Judge Chao smashed his gravel against his desk. He Xuan looked up to received his sentencing.

_2 years of prison for adultery…_

As he was being hauled away, suddenly he began to fight. He didn’t want to leave the bodies. The bodies! He had to stay with them. The coroners were going to keep the bodies at the yamen. The attendants pulled the white cloths over the faces. He shouted for them. Yuan-er! Qing-er!

He was dragged backward out of the court towards the basement of the institution. One guard hit He Xuan in the neck and his vision darkened. He would never see light in this mortal life again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quotes References
> 
> Eight Legged Essay by Wang Ao Translation by Elman (2013)  
> http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Terms/baguwen.html
> 
> Pu Sung Ling  
> https://www.ancient.eu/article/1335/the-civil-service-examinations-of-imperial-china/
> 
> County Court Quotes  
> Lord of Justice: The Dream of Gold Film (2008)
> 
> Qing  
> K-San Exiled Rebel Scanlations Chp. 41  
> https://exiledrebelsscanlations.com/gdc-chapter-41/
> 
> Chang Chai  
> The man who A-Qing steals from in novel.  
> https://modao-zushi.fandom.com/wiki/Chapter_86_(Manhua)


	4. Imprisionment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan is sent to a Mining Labor Institution.

Within the week, able bodied prisoners not sentenced to death were transported from Fugu County to Chengcheng County. The flat roads through the Guanzhong Basin provided the crammed wagons of prisoners with the only measure of comfort during the journey. Guanzhong Basin was fortified by the fortresses of four mountain passes. The massive towers loomed overhead like the Four Perils welcoming them into the bowels of the Underworld.

Barred windows offered a glimpse of the richly deposited sediments from highland erosion. The glory of the unseen pastures of an unknown world that had left more to be experienced did not conjure excitement. Most of the prisoners had never possessed enough funds to travel this far outside Fugu County.

Nothing had changed. They still did not have the funds. Now they were going to pay with their lives. The men knew that they would probably never see their homelands again and would die in unmarked graves whenever they ceased into being. If buried, this would be through the courtesy of nature, the elemental kind and not the human kind.

He Xuan glanced at his rough sewn clothes that he mother had patched through an entire night’s toil. All prisoners wore clothes from outside sources or bestowed by charitable means. Most funds were used to bribe the officials which left the essentials of clothes and food scarce. 

There was a thin, scrawny thirteen year boy who had only a pair of pants, his shirt having worn so ragged, it was more of hassle to wear it than to go without. If they were fortunate, there might be wealthy families who would donate clothes to the poor and the prisoners might receive the last pickings of those.

After four days of constant pleading and kowtowing, Father and Mother He were finally granted permission to see their only son before he was sent to Chengcheng Mining Encampment. For every able-bodied prisoner sent from Fugu, the Chenghe Mining Bureau paid one silver tael.

Shaking his head, he wasn’t sure if he was fortunate that he wasn’t tortured at the behest of the Chang Clan. He had no doubt that Chang Cian offered a bribe for one of the outlawed five punishments or for He Xuan to be beaten to death.

However, Judge Chao was cunning. He took the bribe and found a crippled man, similar in body type, already near death to be shown to Chang Cian as proof. He even allowed the Patriach to keep a severed pinky which the elderly man promptly fed to his dog.

Judge Chao placed He Xuan under the list for prisoners to be bound for labor, thus pocketing another tael, and establishing new friendships with the influential clans of Fugu and of the neighboring county.

It took several days to arrive. No water was given, making the dried bread they ate soak up the remaining moisture left in their mouths. The dawn was just breaking over the horizon. Bright, carnelian hues silhouetted the brown earth in a welcome splash of light.

The double doors of the wagon were thrown open. A commissioner from the Bureau waited off to the side. Even though he had a list of names, he didn’t bother to ask them. He merely had his assistant check to make sure that the men were uninjured. Otherwise they could deduct points and haggle with Judge Chao over the price.

The assistant pointed at the young boy, dressed in only pants. “Boy, how old are you?”

“Fifteen, sir.”

The assistant and commissioner exchanged looks. There was no way to prove his true age and malnutrition contributed to underdeveloped growth. He decided to let go. There were 40 able-bodied men of legal age.

“I am Commissioner Liang An from the Chenghe Mining Bureau. You are at the 4 th  Mining Institution in Chengcheng County. You will work out your sentences here. If you try to escape, you will die. If you do not work, you will not eat, and then die. If you work, you will not be mistreated. All the guards know that any prisoners that die of means other than those in regards to labor will be severely punished themselves. I do not tolerate disobedience. Is that clear?”

The guards bowed in affirmation while the prisoners nodded. They did not dare to speak without permission. After the introductions, the prisoners shuffled behind the commissioner towards the barracks. There were already 10 other prisoners left from the previous batch. Standing in a line, they were heading out towards the mines.

A loud boom thundered beneath the ground. Each man stood his ground and waited for the earth to stop trembling and his hearing to return. Explosives had been set off, removing the top of a mountain peak in the distance. The debris had yet to settle.

The mine the current prisoners labored at was a deep one, stretching hundreds of li into the ground. Surface mines around the area could yield high quantities in less time. Given 20 minutes to acclimate, the new arrivals were trained on how to recognize raw coal and how to excavate it. Large metal buckets were utilized in a vertical pulley system, rotating every half hour to send up the findings.

He Xuan tested the weight of coal in his palm. Anthracite had a semi-metallic luster when held to light. Turning it around in around in his hands, and twice against his sleeves, he noted it left no traces. With the capacity for providing high heat in ratio to it’s weight, this ranked anthracite higher than it’s counterpart and triple the value.

With the upcoming Winter, there was no telling how great the demand would be. To pay 40 taels for able bodied men was a massive sum, but still cheaper than buying contract slaves who would cost more and perhaps be less willing to under such conditions.

After the prisoners were unshackled, they were each given supplies and duties. Young men and those middle aged were given shovels and pick-axes. The youngest like the 15 year old were given the duty of removing the impurities of coal and setting them into uniform sizes. The young boy held onto a hammer and sat on the ground with a cast iron plate. Next to him was a basket of his own height filled with impure coal, ready to be screened.

Led to several mines, they worked in sets of ten. He Xuan stood atop the opening of a mine of 120 meters deep. The light from the rising sun was not warm enough to disperse the coldness he felt. Hooking the shovel’s cloth wrap across his back, he climbed down the ladder. Down further and further into the pit. He glanced up at the shrinking distance and then back down to steady his feet on the narrow bamboo steps.

After dismounting, another man disembarked on the same ladder. He Xuan set to work, jabbing at the edges of the dirt walls. Varying thickness of coal seams were revealed through the work. The prisoners worked at uncovering the raw material through the embedded rocks. Water was sent every 5 hours with each prisoner only receiving one cup. After almost 10 hours of continuous labor, a meal of plain congee was sent down.

Then the prisoners worked for another 5 hours until they were allowed back to the surface. Some men did not make it back to the barracks and instead slept where they collapsed. By the order of the guards, the fallen men were dragged back their fellow prisoners. Strict body counts were monitored through the day.

Once a month, they were allowed visitors, during the rest period. Families came and gave bits of saved food and drink. Most prisoners had relatives and these days were filled with undulated joy. The only person who had no relatives was the fifteen year boy. From the idle gossip of the guards, he heard that the parents had abandoned him after he risked stealing sundries for them and injured a vendor in the process. His older brother, a prisoner before him, had also died.

He Xuan’s elderly parents had moved from Fugu to Chengcheng in order to see him daily. His father’s smoothed out his wrinkled clothing while his mother ran her fingers through his greasy, unwashed hair. She wiped down his hands and bought out the three items he treasured. Yuan Yu’s gifted ribbon, Qing’s uneven legs guards, and the black pouch with silver waves. He touched each item once, worried about dirtying it too much.

Because her hands were cleaner, she feed him the dumplings she had made. The savory flavor made him cognizant of just how plain and empty his daily meals were, of how far away home was, and how long two years were. With each visit, his mother struggled admirably on her bamboo cane.

He asked her to stop coming during the hazardous trip, but she was adamant in visiting. His father, on the other hand, was thinner, finding odd jobs to support them with an income. By this time, he had been notified of his failure to pass the civil examination.

No matter. It was not likely that after being being branded an adulterer and serving a term, he could hold office. Once two years were up, he would find work to support them. That was the future. Getting through the two years. This was the present. He helped his mother and father back onto the back of a wagon lined with hay. At least the roads here were decent.

Two days before the next visit, while the officers exchanged shifts for guarding the barracks, the prisoners who had acclimated to the hard labor and were able to stay awake heard tidbits of their gossip.

“Where did Commissioner Liang and Liang Junior go today?”

"To receive Little Bodhi.”

“Whose that?”

Upon hearing the title, another guard was overheard walking quickly to join the conversation.

“Aiyaaaa, you don’t know? If you don’t know, we’re not telling you, eh, _Biao-ge_?”

“Hahaha, that’s right, _Biao-mei_.”

The two senior officers were sharing a secret joke among themselves. When the third finally acquitted himself of the trouble of finding out, the seniors gave in.

“A-San, you’re new, so you don’t know. Little Bodhi is Commissioner Liang’s niece and Liang Junior’s cousin.”

“It’s a girl? Is she pretty?”

The prisoners heard a swift smack of a hand connecting with the back of the San’s head. He whined about being hit without knowing the reason.

“Surely, this is a legitimate question? Why the violence?”

“Just think of it as trying to save your life.” The senior replied. When he noted the confusion, he clicked his tongue. “Commissioner Liang is fair, so it’s not him that you have to be concerned about. It’s Liang Junior.”

“Liang Junior? He seems alright.”

“He is alright except for this. I was in the magisterial yamen last year, delivering the account booklets over. Little Bodhi was there as well. A girl in the Yamen is rare thing, but most of us know about Liang Junior, except Yun Tao. He was the guard before you. He spoke one word, ONE WORD, to her and he was transferred. With us, he can’t kill us, so we can only be moved to another county. Once, a prisoner bumped into her by accident and said “Excuse me, Pretty Miss” and he was sent to work in the most dangerous mine and died from the conditions.”

The other senior officer sighed. “You say that like it Liang Junior’s completely malicious. Now, with Yun Tao, he’s a pretty good guy to drink with, but he was a social climber. It may have just been one word, but he was making eyes at her the entire time. If she was my kin, I would have knocked him out stupid. And the prisoner, perhaps thought, that by flattering her, he could gain favor or amnesty. All girls like being told they’re pretty, right? And little Bodhi is so young, she’s susceptible to this manipulation. Anyway, Liang Junior is not completely in the wrong. This is not one-sided. This is a case of the toads in the well trying to swim on the backs of swans.”

“None of this answers my question.” San replied. “Is she pretty?”

Another smack upside the head, but San ducked and covered his neck. The seniors laughed shook their heads.

“Pretty enough. I’ve seen prettier. Next time, I’ll treat you to Crimson Pavilion and show you the prettiest courtesans there. It’s just that Liang Junior has always had his eye on this _biaomei_ since they were young. I’ll be honest with you. She’d make a virtuous wife, but she’s got shit luck for catching his fancy. Just do what we do. Be civil and do not be around her for longer than 5 seconds. If you don’t start feeling Liang Junior’s death glare two seconds over, I’m not going to risk going to your funeral.”

“That’s harsh.”

“Hey, I value my job and my sanity.”

“I don’t think Liang Junior is malicious enough to kill anyone. At least directly with his own hands. That prisoner’s death was accidental. You’re too harsh.”

“Oh, you think so huh?”

“I do.”

“You weren’t there, that day, when he passed Yun Tao. How do we even know if he’s still alive? I sent him an invite a month ago. He never responded.”

“Who responds to those? Not responding doesn’t mean he’s dead.”

“True, but you know who my brother is. He works for the Fu Clan. They’re rolling in money. Saying ‘no’ to hanging with me is like saying ‘no’ to the emperor.”

The trio of officers continued to gossip and when the senior officer who had been more lenient in his findings left to take a bathroom break, the other senior took the opportunity to give a warning. 

“Careful of Ping Ru. He's close with Liang Junior. It’s why he backs him up all the time. I can say whatever I want to an extent because my father is sworn brothers with Commissioner Liang and the bottom line for Liang Junior is he knows I have no interest in Little Bodhi. Watch what you say around him.”

As Ping Ru came back from his bathroom break, he elbowed Ling San in the stomach, chiding him. He decided to go relieve himself, thus giving Ping Ru a chance to warn the junior officer as well. When the rowdy young man was out of sight, Ping Ru gave his warning.

“Be careful with Yunqi. It’s true that his brother works for the prestigious Fu Clan. But it’s also known that they are going up against the Shen Clan in business. The Shen Clan is older and been around longer. They’re ruthless too. Gut you like a fish. The Yulin Lin Clan is also backing them up. All in all, try not to get caught up in that war. It’s going to be ugly. I also don’t know the reason, but Liang Junior is not on good terms with Fu Hanyin. I imagine there might be a connection to Little Bodhi, but I doubt it. I can’t see how the two would ever cross paths.”

He Xuan noted the names and the memorized their positions. He had not heard enough from Ling San to gauge towards which advice he would take or whether he would straddle the line between the two. In his experience, not picking a side seemed to be the more dangerous option. On a tightrope, not clinging to one side meant falling off was certain death.

On the next visit, Father He came alone. Helping him down the wagon, he helped carry the small cloth bag slung around the older man’s back. Father He was wearing a new set of clothes, wool with fleece lining. There was another set in the sack for He Xuan.

“Your mother is resting at the new cottage. She’s not feeling too well.”

“You could have sent a letter. You didn’t have to come. Just stay with her.”

“Your mother told me to come. She would not drink her medicine unless I promised I would bring all these to you. I know as well as her that these clothes will do you well in the upcoming Winter.”

“Thank you for these, Father. I am doing well.”

They chatted for a bit, talking about the adjustments of living to Chengcheng. The air felt less clean than Fugu, but it felt more properly run and abundant in in resources. Businesses were competitive with one another, meaning lower prices for daily commodities.

“I think your mother and I are eating better here than in Fugu. When you come out, let’s stay here. Here, eat. These are quite good.”

Within the wooden box was a set of petite pastries filled with lotus paste. He Xuan ate one of pastries slowly. Behind his father was the Reverend, saying nothing. The black mist had curled into the lips of a smile, allowing He Xuan to have this moment with his father undisturbed. All to relish in the departure of witnessing the grief of separation.

His Father held out the items that Mother He usually brought. He Xuan wiped his hands on his clothes and touched each item once. Then he took the clothes and set them down. He helped the elderly man back onto the wagon. Along with the others he waited until the transport was just a speck.

The meetings already fading, the men dragged their aching bodies back to the barracks to rest. A black mist lingered over the heads of the men, imbibing the misery stemming from their souls. He Xuan laid on his corner in the barracks, staring up at the beams supporting the ceiling.

Taking up the spot next to him, the Reverend said nothing. The spectral force stayed with him, sometimes for a short period. Other times, longer. Aside from the gossip-mongering of the guards, groans and whimpers of wearied fellows, the elemental whispers and howls of their surroundings, there was one quiet voice that he listened to that supplemented his own.

It was faint, fading as the days passed. It spoke of good days gone by. It spoke names, of places to remember. The embodiment of this voice within him was light at first until it wasted away into a kernel of hardness in the pit of his stomach. It remained there, solid and heavy and hungry. He didn’t dare feed it any of the congee or quench its thirst with water. In his gut, it stayed hungry…

It was that time of early morning, not yet dawn, when everything is black or shades of it. When even the faintest flicker of light can suddenly be the beacon of hope or disaster. Today’s light was provided by the guard’s lantern. Explosives were set off for new surface mines. The earth rumbled beneath their feet.

_Disaster_ _today_ _,_ he supposed.

Shovel braced over one shoulder, they waited for the body count. _9, 15, 27, 36, 40, 44…_ He Xuan lowered his head at the sound of his number. He glanced at number 49, the oldest of the prisoners, a well-bodied man, middle-aged and yet still at least half his father’s age.

The man’s duties including carrying and loading the bales of coal onto wagons. His posture stooped from the labor and his feet which had lifted up and down with the strength of a solder now dragged, leaving a thin trail of disturbed dirt.

Each man left a slight imprint as they walked in a single file to the mines. Their trodden steps created an indistinct mishmash as one pair of footsteps replaced the one in front and so forth. In the grand scope of the constantly altering environment, their steps were minuscule. It only proved that they existed, not that they mattered. Accompanied by the unobstructed gray landscape, the Analects of Confucius peppered his thoughts.

子曰。弟子、入則孝、出則弟、謹而信、凡愛衆、而親仁。行有餘力、則以學文。

_The Master said: “A young man should serve his parents at home and be respectful to elders outside his home. He should be earnest and truthful, loving all, but become intimate with his innate good-heartedness. After doing this, if he has energy to spare, he can study literature and the arts.”_

A pit of bitterness swelled in his throat. These years spent absorbing the literal and figurative meanings of scholarly text had left him nothing. Perhaps not nothing, but a pervading sense of wasted effort and the realization, that if he had spent his time more wisely, the current state of separation and suffering could have been prevented.

Even before the Reverend, his family had pinned their hopes on his educational success and nurtured his scholarly ambition. They were each, acting, feeling, being as one because the goal was the same and now diverged from the main sea into their respective rivers and creeks. The reverse of the natural processes of the universe.

So the Reverend could not be blamed for this. He came because he was attracted to misery and the cause was none other than a person like himself.

視其所以、觀其所由、察其所安。人焉廋哉。人焉廋哉

“ _See a person's means of getting things. Observe their motives. Examine that in which they rest. How can a person conceal their character? How can a person conceal their character?”_

君子而不仁者有矣夫、未有小人而仁者也。

“ _There are some cases where a noble man may not be a perfectly humane man, but there are no cases where an inferior man is a perfectly humane man.”_

愛之能勿勞乎、忠焉能勿誨乎。

“ _Can you love someone without exerting yourself for them? Can you be sincere to someone without teaching them?”_

Back and forth, the material that he spent his youth learning revealed themselves in haunting memory, taking up the space in which should have contained the sensory of the gathering of a family meal, an outing towards the sea, the taste of bitterness in failure that could have been sufficiently eased by the love of an embrace.

Where were all these things? Suppressed by knowledge? Education gained through the reading of text rather than of life. In none of which he studied, did it teach the preparation for callousness of the human soul and it’s corresponding actions.

The Reverend chose to stay with the young man today, twisting in two separate whirlpools resembling eyes. He eyed the young man sitting across from him.

_Xuan-er, how you’ve changed._

From a bright-eyed babe, nestled in perfumed silks, bathed in the light, destined for glory. Who was this young man, teetering on the edge of existence, clothed in rough linen, cloaked in darkness, fated for obscurity?

_How much more will you change?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Analects (1:6, 2:10, 14:7, 14:8)  
> http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/analects.html
> 
> Other Sources  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Perils  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Punishments


	5. Days Go By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan stays at the Mining Institution for 2 years until his release.

The next few months passed, uneventfully. Though truthfully, the less memorable, the better. Previous studies of the classics yielded to the learning of restraint towards the singular goal of survival. Restraint against rage, hunger, thirst, tiredness.

With every walk uphill, his legs adjusted to the daily exercise, finding strength in his bones while the flesh shrank and the muscles deteriorated. Other prisoners of more delicate bodies fell. Sometimes just to the ground, to illness, and more than occasionally death. Illnesses of another nature overtook their souls. The faces vacated all that was extraneous, unrelated to the physical desires. Emotions fled, including the fear of death. Death almost seemed pleasant.

The fifteen year old boy collapsed to his knees in the ground. An older man, perhaps a relation, crouched down to help. Tears formed in his eyes and then those tears fled, wanting to run. These things wanted no part of them. Everyone else walked on.

_What were tears?_

_What was sadness?_

_What did it mean, human?_

_What was the difference between the prisoners and the guards?_

_What was the difference between the them of old, and the them now?_

He Xuan’s physicality changed, but he had no mirror to see it. The cup of water every five hours was drunk immediately once it was received. The eyes of his fellow prisoners could have provided a reflection, but he seldom looked at their eyes.

He often admired how the mass of crepey, dried skin stuck to the curves of their bones and fantasized about gnawing on the skin. If not the skin, then gnawing on the bone and slurping the marrow within. _These are bad thoughts_ , he told himself, but he had no doubt they saw him the same way.

In slower stages than before, his hair grew in length, but thinner. Patches of alternating white and gray crowned the top. He found large handfuls when he woke from a fretful, disrupted sleep. Always a light sleeper, now he hardly slept.

He closed his eyes. Then he opened them. That was the rest he received. He dreamed none. What dreams could he have, in the blinking of an eye? In the twinkling fickleness bestowed by the God of Fate? Or was it a Goddess? There was human fickleness there. None worth praying to.

The Reverend’s visit was long this time. He said nothing, which was not unusual. His parents, on the last visit had developed a chill. The wagon had broken down and they had to wait until the wheel was fixed. The guards allowed for the visitation to go over the required hours to make up for the loss.

The guards were not entirely without compassion, but they had not been tested as the prisoners had. Manners and morals were plentiful when it could be afforded. Which made those who had to access and forthwith to practice, but no proclivity to exercise it, all the more heinous.

An image rose of Chang Cian and Chang Chai, accusing fingers and twisted fork tongues with poisoned lies flicking into the narrow, cramped courtroom… And then of two corpses covered with white sheets. During the day, he did seldom dream. But nightmares were aplenty.

This month, the wagon arrived on time.

The oldest were allowed to stay at the front where the journey would be easiest. He Xuan waited by the back as the others climbed down. He assisted a woman and her new born down. Her husband all but ran to her, wiping the dirt from his hands and face before holding the child.

Finally, the last passenger hobbled forward. The elderly man reached out for him. He Xuan held his arm out and helped the fragile body down. Father He took one step at a time, joints barely holding the limbs together. He said just a few words and it was enough.

“She’s far away now.”

“...I know.”

An eerie chill crept over He Xuan and remained with him. Within there was a single flame that stayed lit. Beside him, the Reverend hovered, the top of that mystic whirl formed just a mouth, no other features to go with it, and the ghastly lips blew at the young man’s chest. The light wavered, almost out, but not quite yet. The last hope kept vigil.

When Father He visited, each time, he touched the black pouch with the silver waves, he prayed. _Keep him safe for me. If you keep him safe, I’ll do anything._ He made sure to say the prayer quietly and quickly to escape the Reverend’s notice. Of the other two items, he knew the significance.

Though he did not know the origin, he figured it was a keepsake from childhood given by Mother He. It didn’t matter because He Xuan touched each item for exactly the same amount of time and the young man and his loved ones were proving to better meal than expected.

With a sharpened fingernail, He Xuan kept a tally of the days on the wooden floor, underneath the barracks shared bamboo bed. Other prisoners attempted to do the same, whether they marked their own bodies or had a stationary calendar outside or inside the barracks.

He witnessed the cracking of heads against the grounds at the moment they broke down. For them, it was like watching water boil. After seeing these incidents, the majority of prisoners decided not to keep track of the days. They could find out naturally when the guards spoke of it and the seasons itself would naturally pass.

_Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn…._

_Winter…_

For the first time since his arrest, it snowed. He Xuan pressed his fingers into the grooves of tally marks. 730 days. 17,520 hours, 1,051,200 minutes...For a moment, he calculated the seconds. 63,072,000 seconds.

He had nothing to take out of the barracks. Only the clothes on his back. With steady hands, he accepted the release papers out of Ping Ru’s hands. The young officer considered saying congratulations, but refrained after seeing the disbelief present on the wearied features.

He Xuan waited where the visitors’ wagon usually stopped. He turned around. Perhaps he was early. A glance back at the far off mines yielded tiny, ant-like dots flicking up and down through the dull sun sinking under the horizon.

Snow powdered the dirt, building a thin layer over top and accumulated thick at the edges. Turning his back, he walked from the haunting landscape laden with it’s limited hues and dull subjects. A stumble caused him pause. He leaned down, adjusting the cloth shoes. The fragile straw soles were coming apart. He tucked the loose pieces back into the weave and retied the cloth around his foot.

The mining encampment was a squint in the background when he saw the short wagon barreling forward. It stopped in front of him and sitting in the back was his father. He Xuan joined the other man in the wagon, tucking his legs up, and holding onto the wooden sides to steady himself.

His father handed him a small basket. Steamed dumplings and plain meat buns were wrapped in loose brown paper. His fingers trembled as he reached in and then he shoved all the food into his mouth, swallowing with great difficulty. The wagon rumbled, shaking from side to side. 

A great wave of nausea consumed his body and lurching forward out of the moving wagon, he vomited. Jumbles of bread, meat, and dough only digested through the chewing of his teeth spewed upward onto the deserted dry weeds. Unemotional tears wet his eyes. A bamboo canister was pushed in front of his face. Lifting off the lid, he poured the liquid into his mouth.

_Ginger water…_

Years of plain congee and water dulled his taste-buds and he couldn’t differentiate the subtleties in the variety of medicinal herbs. The memory of chewing on a slice of ginger floated in. Plopping candied pearls, clack clack between his teeth. He felt a squeezing pressure around his chest at reverie of slender arms around his back, tingling around his neck.

_Scholar Xue…_

The voice that he heard repeated several times in his head. Distant and sweet. Tinkling like a wind-chime, pleasant and gentle.

His eyes blinked. The memory and touch faded. Stomach acid lingered in his throat. Ginger lingered on his tongue and cheeks. Settling back into his seat, the scent of vomit dissipated in the open air. The distance between the spoiled meal widened.

He Xuan spent much of the journey looking out. This was the same path his parents took on their way to see him. The sparse, desolate outskirts blurred into the town’s shocking red lanterns and bold hues of passing urban dwellers. Fake blushes decorated flaky white skin and painted crimson lips. Everything that passed was of an unnatural ambiance, so much that even the Reverend seemed more real than the actual humans around him.

Father He did not stay in town. Small huts were available at the edge of the wilderness. The structures were roughly made but stable and the rent was cheap. The driver pulled at the horse and they came to a stop at the strip between the edge of town and the slums. He Xuan helped his father down and the elderly man paid the driver. Together, they walked over the overgrown weeds towards the cheapest row of huts. In this last row, he found his home near a community well.

Father He lit a candle in the main room. Inside, a set of clothes lay neatly on the table. Not wanting to dirty the floors, He Xuan walked to the well and carried enough bales of water to fill a tub behind the house to bathe. After undressing, his fingers rested on the edge of the wooden basin. Dipping his fingers into the waters, he stared at the droplets slipping through.

_What he would have given to have this much water on any day during that time?_

Having so much, just to bathe seemed like an utter waste. But he was no longer a prisoner. He had returned to the world. He climbed into the basin and sat within it. Using a scrubbing bean paste, he smeared it all over his body. The thin grains grated against his skin, but the dirt remained. A scrubbing stone was hanging on the wall. He grabbed it and brushed along with the bean paste. Sloughs of dirt and flakes of dead skin sprinkled atop the water with the denser bits sinking to the bottom.

Red patches formed where he had scrubbed too hard, but there was a satisfaction in the shedding of his previous life and emerging anew. Father He had taken eucalyptus powder and mixed it with water, rubbing it onto the dirty hair. He Xuan breathed in the refreshing aroma. Careful not to get it into his eyes, he splashed some onto his face.

Into the twilight hours, He Xuan remained in the cold waters. He felt a tap on his shoulders and rose to get out of the basin. Excess water formed a puddle on the stone slab under his feet. The cloth he used to dry with was too thin to absorb and the chilly air completed the task.

He stumbled into the house, the ends of his heels dragging, pressing down on the rough callouses. His fingers touched the blue fabric, smooth like the supple petals of a bud. This material was softer than anything that he had ever touched. Next to the clothes, were the three items that were brought to him on each visit.

Across from the table was a vanity. Picking up the ribbon, he set it on the vanity and sat down on the bench. Slowly from the crown of his head, he combed his hair. The wooden teeth hit multiple snags and gripping the handle, He Xuan forced it through the knots, decapitating the tangled strands. Sensitive nerves that grazed the damp camphor tingled his scalp. Waiting until it dried, he stared at the ribbon Yuan Yu had sewed. Before he had considered it too precious to use, but the time had passed for that type of sentimentality.

Gathering his hair up from the face and nape, he tied it with the ribbon. For the first time, in two years, he saw his own reflection. Flickering candlelight cast an eerie glow behind him. The bronze mirror’s amber tint illuminated his gaunt, solemn face. His lips, for all the moisture he had received from the bath, remained chapped. His hands were cracked, much more aged, and possessed a sort of leathery quality like a well-tanned deer hide.

His dull eyes lacked animation and likewise, externally nothing excited interest. A creak over the floorboard made him turn. Two bowls of warm stew rested on the table. Father He beckoned for him to come over.

He Xuan got up and gazing at the last two items, he stuffed the black pouch into his robes and then put the leg guards away into a wooden box. Sitting next to his father, the other two stools were empty. The cottage was a fair size, but father and son were the sole inhabitants.

Father He placed a ceramic bowl in front of him with a spoon. He Xuan lifted the delicate spoon and studied it. The sides were high which would retain larger quantities compared to the shallow wooden spoon at the mining institution. Beads of sweat condensed from the steaming stew. He dipped the spoon into the bowl and brought it to his mouth.

A warm meal. It was an almost unpalatable, strange sensation on his tongue. Too much flavor. Father He ate slowly. Each spoonful appeared to make him more lucid, but he only ate half. Seeing that he was about to throw the remainder away, He Xuan reached for it and ate the rest. Father He stacked the empty bowls and utensils and took it out to wash before setting on a cloth to dry.

In a corner, there was a small make-shift altar, elevated by intention instead of proper furnishings. Three memorial tablets with plain urns and a metal pot languished on the shelf. Using the candle, He Xuan lit three incense sticks. He said a quiet prayer before pinning them in the pot and sitting on the bench. His eyes circled every memorial tablet twice until resting on the three most recent additions. Spirals of smoke spun around the tablets before dissipating.

When his father saw that he was staring at the tablet with Yuan Yu’s name, he replied. “There was no one left to care for it. The Fugu Yamen gave us the ashes.”

None of the women were large and yet he couldn’t fathom how human beings, with their faces, voices, memories, thoughts, and actions, could be reduced to a small pile of black soot no bigger than the palm of his hand.

Withholding a sigh, he left the main room and walked with his father to another room containing a cot. The woven frame and it’s bedding was aged but adequate. He laid down next to his father and pulled a blanket over their bodies, leaving the majority of it on the elder. The canopy above their heads was translucent and made from a pattern no longer in fashion.

Father He had been managing the rent on his own. He Xuan spent several days looking for work, but was unable to find anything suitable. For work that required literacy, his lowly appearance was considered unfit. For regular labor, his emaciated body elicited automatic refusals and his literacy was a deterrent instead of a benefit. When he returned home, Father He gave him the lease agreement. Calculating the agreed amount and the due amount, He Xuan noticed an anomaly.

He told his father to wait at home while he went into town to dispute the error. The sections of the town were separated into residential, commercial, and areas reserved for spiritual and governing purposes. He Xuan elbowed his way through the crowded streets and found the banking institution responsible for the leasing agreement.

_Fu Fractional Reserve Bank._

He requested to see a head manager, but was only allowed to see a minor supervisor. A well-dressed man was on the second floor, watching the proceeding dispute with keen interest. He pointed to the paper and spoke cordially with the minor clerk.

“This agreement allows for only 2% charge of interest after a year’s rental, but the amount being asked for is 3%. It’s clear from the original copy, this new rate was added in later. If you hold it to the light, the third line of the number three, the ink is of a different shade. I am asking you to be fair and correct this issue and refund the past year of money overpaid.”

The clerk glanced around at his superior, ducking around the corner. His eyes twitched and his speech was a series of incoherent mumbles. Then he heard a voice from above. “Pay him what’s owed.”

The well-dressed man marched down the steps and took a look at the ledgers on the long desk in the middle of the room. He flipped through the pages and then ordered the Head Manager to go through the book and find those miscalculations and provide him with a detailed report. The excess sum was returned to He Xuan in a small bank note with the current rent fee taken out.

“Is it all correct now?”

He Xuan nodded politely and prepared to leave, but the well-dressed man stopped him. He surveyed the poorer man’s clothes and face and invited him to tea. Not wanting to risk insulting the man, he thanked him for the invitation. Following a half-second pace behind him, He Xuan noted the crowd acknowledging this gentleman with politeness infused with fear.

They went to an impressive restaurant where the owner greeted the gentleman immediately and escorted him to the third floor. He ordered two servings of the finest dishes and a pot of jasmine tea. The sight of the delicacies was mouth watering, but He Xuan did not dare eat any of it. He drank the tea with hesitation.

“I am Fu Hanyin. That was one of my Banking Institutions you were just in and this is one of my restaurants. You’re sharp. Eat, eat. Don’t mind me. I already ate. What’s your name and what did you use to do?”

“My name is He Xuan. I was studying for the national exam for civil service.”

“Ah.” Since he said nothing else, Fu Hanyin added. “Didn’t work out?”

“No.”

“What happened?”

“I was arrested.”

“Charge?”

“Adultery.”

“Time served?”

“Two years.”

“Let me guess, you were sent to the ChengCheng Mining Bureau.”

“...” He Xuan nodded.

“The Shen Clan really do know how to waste talent. I’m guessing you just arrived because otherwise you would have come sooner about the mistake. Whose name is the agreement under?”

“My father.”

“You’re a good son.”

“Not as good as I want to be.”

“Are you looking for work?”

“Yes.”

“There’s a vacancy at the Fractional Reserve Bank. Want the job?”

“There’s a vacancy there?”

“There will be after I read the report. Show up tomorrow. They’ll be expecting you.”

“We’ve just met. Seems a bit fast to hire me.”

“I have a good eye for people. I will send out people to verify the information you just told me. I have no doubt that it’s all true. Eat and drink up. You can take some of it home if you want. It’s a lot of food. Hate to see it go to waste.”

Fu Hanyin poured another cup of tea and drank it. He leaned out of the open window that looked out into the open street. Walking through the crowd of street, a single burst of plain, white cloth blazed in the sea of bright fabrics. His eyes stayed fixated on the white-clothed figure until it vanished down the street. Sighing, he shook his head.

“I’ll leave ahead of you. See you tomorrow. Shift starts at 7.”

He Xuan stood and paid his respects as Fu Hanyin prepared to leave. A couple minutes later, a servant bought up a tiered carrying basket. He ate a bit more and then decided to pack the rest away. The sky was darkening. Carrying the basket out, he left the restaurant and headed home.

Father He was anxiously pacing in front of shack. He patted his chest when he caught sight of his son. He Xuan placed the basket on an empty seat and unloaded all the dishes. He set out a bowl with chopsticks for his father, tearing the tender meat into pieces and pouring water into a cup.

He sat across from his father and set up his own serving and while they ate, he announced the good news. His father was so overwhelmed with joy, tears dribbled down his cheeks and his nose ran. He Xuan stood up and unable to find a suitable cloth, he wiped at the face with a corner of his robe.

Father He motioned for him to sit back down and finish his meal. After finishing their meal and packing away the cleaned dishes into the basket, they retired for the night. That night, both father and son slept well for the first time in over two years.

**Not The Same**

A lowly clerk was responsible for the mistake of several accounts. He intentionally marked up the interest rates and pocketed the remaining sum. Escorted to the local yamen, he was charged with fraud and sentenced for several months to work at one of the mining encampments. He Xuan resumed his work. He diligently applied himself at work and eventually replaced the senior banking officer in charge.

Consumed by the large scale of running the operation smoothly, he paid little attention to any other affairs that did not revolve around the Banking Reserve. Fu Hanyin dropped by on occasion during his bi-monthly rounds around the Fu Businesses.

As the manager of the largest Reserve Bank, He Xuan was asked to accompany Fu Hanyin on visitation to the Fu’s silk shops, perfumery, and wine distillery.

Fu Hanyin was currently troubled by the increasing assaults on their exporting goods and caravans. In spite of additional security, the attacks continued and the goods were being sold on the black market, cutting in their profits by a fifth.

If it continued, the margin between profit and debt would narrow and become one and the same. He Xuan took careful notes at each place and his eyes surveyed the employees as subtly as he could manage.

The revelation of the import routes were no doubt the result of an inside job. Seeing as to how the attacks had been going on far longer than before He Xuan’s employment and the young man’s filial piety which kept him honest, Fu Hanyin stacked a greater trust in this honesty than what others thought was warranted.

This time, he assisted Fu Hanyin in monitoring the Dye Houses. Long poles stretched almost at the same height as the roofing. Carmine, fuchsia, turquoise, mauve, vermilion, every hue that could be imagined hung over these bamboo racks. A deep vermilion glowed in the bright, morning light. From these finished cloths, wedding robes would be woven.

He glanced at the wide, open spaces of women sewing in the interior of the warehouse. Their rough hands moved over the silky material, weaving with accuracy and experience. Holding the material in his hand, he felt similar to the mining days where he picked coal, enduring all the disadvantages but never the reward. From workers tending the silk cocoons, to weavers, dyers, embroiders, tailors, seamstresses, the final cloth passed to many hands, but none alone were able to afford the finished cloth.

The steps going down into the warehouse were narrow. Going underground made He Xuan gulp. His fingers gripped at his booklet, but he was careful not to press too hard on the charcoal. He pushed his memories of mining aside and focused on the matter at hand.

Safflower petals harvested in the summer were deemed sufficiently dried for dying by the winter. But it was still autumn, but the Fu Dye House was underground, lowering the temperature to a year round frigidity.

The red stigmas were drained of yellow colorants in one vat and then moved to a larger pot where straw-ash was added to embolden the natural red. Vinegar was added next and a plum extract was the final step that allowed the dye to applied to silk cloth.

Though this colorant was used for the dye house, this was the same process for the Fu Stationary Shops. He Xuan stopped by those shops to retrieve ink and paper to write receipts and reports. He knew that the procedure of dye was extensive, but he was truly humbled by the knowledge he gained in first hand sight.

Fu Hanyin paused by an elderly man crushing purple gromwell roots in a stone mortar. He balanced a large, wooden pestle on his thigh to grind the roots beneath. The lining of wealthy young man’s outer robe was the same color. He complimented the elderly man on his skill. He Xuan’s eyes lingered on the elderly man, mixing with his father’s image. But this man was more robust and stalwart.

“He Xuan?”

His employer had already started walking back up the steps. His voice snapped He Xuan out of his reverie. They left the dye house and climbed into a carriage to be taken to the White Jade Manor. Madam Shen had invited them for an afternoon luncheon.

Straightening his collar of his blue and purple robes, Fu Hanyin rested his temple on one arm. He was quite pale and seemed to be suffering from a headache. Trying to distract himself, he began chatting.

“What did you do during Qingming?”

“We don’t have family plots like nobles, so we worshiped at home.”

“I went to the Fu Clan Plot in Hanzhou. It was pretty tiring. I was inundated with poor relations the entire journey. And now coming back, I’ve been traveling all over town, responding to the nobles’ invitations. I’ve been to no less than seven, SEVEN, banquets for random reasons. Celebrating promotions, birthdays, business luncheons. All of them featuring eligible young women.”

“...” He Xuan wasn’t sure on how to comment on this personal manner as his superior carried on.

“I have even been invited by some of allies of the Shen Clan. Any household that has a daughter of age has invited me, except one.”

“...one?”

“The Liang Clan.”

“The Liang Clan has a daughter?”

“No, Commissioner Liang has a niece that he took in. Like mine, Zhu Yingtai’s parents passed away when she was young. This is old news, but I’m not surprised you don’t know it.”

He Xuan recounted the information he _did_ know and recalled the discussion of the intense rivalry between the Shen and Fu Clans and the name moniker of ‘Little Bodhi’. He had not seen Zhu Yingtai in person, but he knew that every few months, she and several other noble daughters offered meals to the impoverished.

“Do you want to visit them?”

The other man dismissed his hand. “Not really. Commissioner Liang and his son are nothing but eyesores and Zhu Yingtai is...” He didn’t finish the thought aloud. “Anyway, I’ve closed the bank for a couple of days to renovate. Clients can still have access to funds at our other location. You and the others can return when the remodeling is finished. Go on a trip. Do something fun.”

“Alright.”

White Jade Manor was situated on large plain flanked by courtyards filled bounteous orchards. Surrounding the mighty mansion was a 10 meter wall with a grand gate. They were welcomed by the chief steward who lead them through the numerous courtyards to the main Guest Reception Hall.

When they reached the Reception Hall, they were greeted first by Young Miss Shen Liqin. Gold filigree and amber jade bracelets circled her arms and her bright carnelian robes illuminated a luminous complexion, a distinct contrast to her inky hair and eyes.

Behind her, was her elder brother’s wife, Madam Lin Yan. The lady was paler and a sort of wearied fatigue aged the young woman who could not have been more than one and twenty. When Madam Lin Yan greeted them, her eyes flickered with anxiety when she recognized He Xuan.

Deciding to take a tour around the rock gardens, Young Master Fu escorted Shen Liqin, leaving Lin Yan and He Xuan to walk together. They had fallen back several meters and both quiet individuals, were out of earshot.

“Are you well, Scholar He?”

“I’m no longer a scholar. I work for Young Master Fu now at the Reserve Bank. And you?”

“I am as well as I could be under the circumstances. They found us.” Lin Yan paused, her step faltered as though she had stumbled into a memory before regaining her footing. She continued walking. “You aren’t the same.”

“I am not.”

Lin Yan smiled softly. _Neither am I._

“Did you keep in contact with Young Master Xiao?” He Xuan realized the answer after he had already asked the question.

“No. He helped us get to my brother and we lived in peace for a short period. I suppose he must be out helping others.”

“He should have helped to the end. Didn’t he say that himself?”

“People can’t help their whole lives, can they? I don’t fault him for any of this. I have my own reasons for staying here.” Her expression darkened for a second, clearing back it's original peace once she glanced at the pair walking ahead of them. Shen Liqin was pressing a delicate hand to her chest, admonishing Fu Hanyin for his lack of imagination. She turned around to speak to her sister.

“Sister Yan? Brother says, you’ve grown quite found of Young Miss Zhu lately. So I invited her and her Cousin Liang Shanbo for lunch as well. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. You’ve taken over as a host is a great help to me. I appreciate it.”

“Oh, it’s no bother. You’re so delicate, Sister. I wouldn’t want you to fall ill again. We need you. No one else can calm that idiot brother of mine. He listens to you.”

A hexagon table at the Banquet Hall was set up for their meal. Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo had just arrived as Shen Liqin began settling people in their seats. She separated Zhu Yingtai from her cousin and sat her next to Madam Lin and Fu Hanyin. He Xuan was next to his employer and across from his old acquaintance. Shen Liqin was quite comfortable seated next to her sister in law and Liang Shanbo.

“Young Master Fu, I’m so glad you’re graced us with your presence. My sister in law has been in dour spirits. I’ve told her, she should just do what I do. Get a new dress. Don’t you agree?”

“I’ve seen many ladies’ spirits lift when graced with new garments.”

“Truly, you know a woman’s heart so well.”

“Well women can be so beautiful, and if they were all as lovely as you, I would wish to know it well.”

“If only all men thought the same as you. This gentlemen, Mister He, care to share your thoughts?”

“I share Young Master Fu’s sentiments.” He Xuan replied.

Dozens of dishes for the first course arrived. The meats, duck and turtle were lightly cooked, so that it would not ruin their appetites for dinner. Steamed vegetables seasoned with pepper and sesame oil left a satisfying crunch when it was chewed.

Liang Shanbo snapped his fingers and a servant hurried and obeyed his wishes. The servant took the plate that he had prepared and switched it with that of his cousin. Another servant took the wine that had been poured as well and replaced it with tea. The other diners exchanged looks with one another, but Liang Shangbo was not bothered by it.

“Young Master Liang, how can you be so tiresome? Are you her father? It’s a good thing you’re not seated next to her. If so, I swear you’d feed her bite by bite.”

“Sister Liqin, please be aware of your speech in front of guests. This is all your arrangements as you admit. You know very well that my cousin can not partake in meat dishes.”

“I simply forgot.” Shen Liqin replied in a manner implying that she was faking.

“Well, it has been rectified. Please eat while the food is warm. You don't want to ruin your dinner.”

“How sweet you are! We know you are quite the spoilsport, but you shall not ruin the fun in store for today.”

He Xuan ate his meal in silence. He was an employee and was out of place among the noble born youths. Madam Lin and Zhu Yingtai only spoke when spoken to as well. Shen Liqin continued to flirt with Fu Hanyin and teasing her other two guests. After the meal, the gentlemen were left together.

“How is Commissioner Liang?’

“He is well.” Liang Shanbo’s curt response dispelled further conversation. Behind his back, Fu Hanyin made a noose and pretended to choke as he sat down at a stone bench. With an army of maid servants tumbling behind her, Shen Liqin returned like a royal consort. A triumphant smile was plastered on her face.

Young Miss Shen snapped her fingers and the maids separated into two uniformed rows. Hidden within the large amount of maids was Zhu Yingtai who clung to Madam Lin’s arm. At her host’s insistence, she had changed from white robes to a fashionable white top with red down-turned collars over an elegant pleated lavender skirt. She wore a black outer robe with white collars and sleeves with a single white jade fastener.

Fu Hanyin rose from the bench. His eyes were fixated on the pleated lavender skirt and the jeweled hair ornaments as well. He glanced at He Xuan to see if he had noticed. The lavender color was the exact same shade as the lining on the robes he wore now and the hair ornaments were from a stock that had been stolen from a caravans assault some months prior.

Both men schooled their expressions and watched for Liang Shanbo’s reaction. He approached his cousin cautiously, throwing a sharp look at Shen Liqin. She placed an arm around the girl’s shoulders and pat the side of her head, touching Zhu Yingtai with affection.

“I was so tired of seeing those plain old white robes. Look at this pretty lavender.”

‘”Yingtai, did she bully you into this?”

The girl shook her head. “Cousin Liang, does it look bad?”

“It looks expensive.” He replied simply before returning his attention to their host. “How much do we owe you?”

“It’s a gift. I demand that she wear it for the my grandfather’s birthday celebration. No excuses.”

“Fine.” He motioned for Shen Liqin to release his charge. Zhu Ying tai shuffled to her cousin with her head lowered. They paid their respects to the other guests and their two hosts, Madam Lin and Young Miss Shen.

As they walked together with the Chief Steward, bits of their conversation could be heard. “Cousin Liang, can I really keep it?”

For the first time since their arrival and the two years’ imprisonment, the young man’s face softened and his tone was gentle. “Of course. Overlapping over this image was his old self and Qing-er. He glanced at his employer.

Fu Hanyin wore a complicated expression as he glanced at the cousins and then turned to accompany Shen Liqin on a final tour around the garden. Madam Lin spoke quietly with He Xuan, but after a few moments was seized with a coughing fit and at her sister’s insistence, retired for the night.

On that note, Fu Hanyin declined to stay any later, citing work as an excuse. Once they were finally in the carriage, the young man believed a sigh of relief. He couldn’t wait to leave. He Xuan was silent, dwelling on the earlier matter of Madam Lin’s change of situation and on the curious case of Zhu Yingtai’s stolen cargo.

“Liang Shanbo didn’t seem to recognize you.”

“He only came on occasion to the mining camp. Even if he does recognize me, it doesn’t matter. I’ve served my time. Do you think Young Miss Shen is aware that the goods are stolen?”

“Perhaps. I do think her main motivation was to see our reactions. Mine and Liang Shanbo.”

“Why is that?”

“A year ago, around the time you came to work for me, there was a gang of bandits causing a ruckus. The main leader, Jing, and some of his followers were captured. Commissioner Liang was afraid of a backlash, so he ordered that the leader be kept alive and treated well. His brother, who had become the leader during his absence didn’t believe this, so he and some of men paid off servants at the Liang Manor to allow them in. They kidnapped Zhu Yingtai.”

He Xuan hands gripped into fists, but he listened calmly. He had already guessed the reason why and knew that at the very least, Zhu Yingtai was fine in the present. “Young Miss Zhu is 16 this year, isn’t she?”

Fu Hanyin nodded. “They were going to marry her to the Bandit Leader in hopes that a marriage alliance would be the guarantee needed to insure that Bandit Leader Jing would be treated well.”

“It’s clear that they didn’t succeed.” He Xuan studied the other man carefully. A manner like this would be kept tightly guarded because a lady’s chastity was of the utmost importance, so how did Fu Hanyin who had no familial relation know this matter?

Guessing his thoughts, the man replied. “I was on one of the expeditions to stop an attack on one the caravans. We caught a few bandits alive. Before turning them over to the authorities, we tortured a few for information. One of them divulged the plan and the location of the hide out. I sent a trusted messenger to send a note to the Liang Manor with the location and headed there first. Otherwise I don’t think we would have made it in time. They had just finished the wedding ceremony by the time we had arrived. I was the one who carried her out.”

“Then why doesn’t she acknowledge you?”

“The servants drugged her. She wasn’t even conscious through the wedding ceremony. She can’t remember much. I gave the credit to her cousin. As far as she knows, I’m just a flamboyant playboy who flirts with Shen Liqin.”

“What happened to the bandits?”

Fu Hanyin massaged the back of his neck and leaned back in his seat. “I can’t say I know. I handed Zhu Yingtai over to Liang Shanbo, told them they could rely on my discretion, and let them handle it. They’re all gone, so I have a good guess as to what happened. Shen Liqin wants to marry Liang Shanbo. It’s a good prospect for her, but she’s not someone who will be content to be second. She wants to foster Zhu Yingtai off to me. So she might know about the abduction.”

“Do you think the Shen are responsible for the caravan raids?”

“Yeah. But just how much Young Miss Shen knows, I’m not clear on. Anyway, you take the next few days off with the rest of the clerks. I’m going to check on a few things and we’ll discuss this again.”

“Alright.”

The carriage stopped at the edge of the moderate residential area. When He Xuan had earned enough money, he moved his father into a better dwelling. His hand paused on the bamboo blinds after he stepped down.

“Young Master Fu?”

“What is it?”

“I wish you a safe journey.”

Fu Hanyin waved a hand dismissively. “Everything will be fine.”

The Reverend had appeared beside him on the side of the road. The black mist circled around Fu Hanyin four times before returning to He Xuan’s side. He let go of the bamboo curtain, watching the carriage as it sped away. Perhaps the faster and further away, the better.

He entered the modest house, a world away from the grandeur and splendor of White Jade Manor, but it was home. Father He was waiting for him, with some plain dishes of stir-fry and a pint of wine. Grabbing two bowls of fresh rice, they sat down to eat.

He Xuan was too concerned with not embarrassing Fu Hanyin to eat his fill at the manor. Even if he was full, he would still eat with his father. They had just moved into this new home for a couple months.

Father He had to endure scorching summer heat and shudder through the freezing winter chill until creditors accepted He Xuan’s financial credibility. The altar had proper furnishings and it’s own place in the center of a room with offerings, incense, and prayers talismans. He was content. But the Reverend also enjoyed these moments.

Feeding on a starved prey was unfulfilling.

As the ghostly mist hung around the dinner and then above them in their bed, He Xuan found his eyes studying his father instead of the Reverend. Those two years and a half living in squalor and hard labor to support Mother He had taken it’s toll. He Xuan pooled an arm over the sleeping man. He felt a soft tap on his arm for the first half of the night.

_Tap, tap, tap._

He Xuan looked up as another tap fell upon his head. He didn’t feel it, but he saw it. The Reverend was imitating his actions.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Like a hammer chipping away at coal, it tapped away at his soul and ate it.


	6. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan goes with his father to the Temple to pray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for Violence

**The Last Flame**

He Xuan asked his father if there was anything he would like to do over the next few days. The elderly man’s gaze rested on the memorial tablets and urns and then he replied that he would like to visit the town temple during the Grand Festival.

Chengcheng County was flooded with tourists attending the annual fair. He Xuan held on loosely to his father’s arm, opting to walk on the wider main streets which would be more evenly paved. When he thought about it, it had been nearly a decade since they took part of any festivities. He felt the black pouch in his robes, tucked away and found himself searching the crowd for a familiar face.

They paused at a cross-talk show, where two older men griped at one another in a skit. Father He seemed to enjoy the comedic show and his son offered a coin when the collecting bowl came round. Musicians, acrobats, and puppet shows  provided profound amusement for the enthusiastic  assembly. 

S topping by a candied vendor, he gazed at the selection and looked around for a familiar face  again , but Young Master Xiao  was not among them.  Chiding himself, he returned his attention to the vendor and bought a pack of pearl candies to share. Father and son strolled  along  with their sweets and offerings. It took longer than expected as they lagged behind the long lines in front of the temple entrance. 

Offering meals and deserts to build good merit, the daughters of nobleman were in a row like a scroll of painted beauties.  Each beauty had her own line while a  separate crowd formed on the sides to gawk. The longest  queue belonged to the Young Miss Shen  Liqin , who had settled for a year in the county and caused a stir with her  stunning good looks . 

All the other daughters were lovely as well. Whether you preferred a demure countenance or coquettish manner, there was a noble lady that suited each appeal. The public enjoyed the view and the noble ladies the attention.

He Xuan pulled his father to the least crowded space.  Shorter than all the other lines, was  Zhu Yingtai’s . It was filled with mostly the elderly and crippled.  Among these individuals, there was only one young and able-bodied man, a boy actually.  He wore yellow ochre robes and if not for the messy topnot and the ragged robes, he would have appeared like a novice  monk .

Studying the features, he realized that this was the coal-breaker that had been released a year before him. He was last person and since there was no one else and was unlikely to gather more, the young girl gave the majority of the left-over soup to this young boy.

M onks from the temple assisted in helping shut down the offering table and taking back the borrowed supplies like pots and  ladles . The young girl joined the rest of the patrons to go and recite prayers within the halls. 

Liang Junior waited for her at the top of the steps. He offered to carry her basket filled with incense and fresh fruit, but she declined, excitedly walking alongside him to keep up with his long strides.

He Xuan helped his father up the grand steps. They waited behind others for an available spot. Having good hearing, he was able to hear the prayers of those in front of him. The boy from before, which He Xuan had only known as number 14, knelt down on the cushion and closed his eyes as he held the incense sticks to his forehead.

“Dear Gods, it is I, your humble servant, Ming Yi. I ask that you please bless me and those who have been kind to me. Please send my message to my brother and give him a good incarnation in his next life.”

Ming Yi kowtowed three times. Then he rose and placed his batch of lit incense in the gold offering pot. In doing so, he accidentally burned his hand. He pulled his hand away and stared at the four circular burn marks and glanced up at the statues. His eyes flickered with confusion.

Father He coughed as his son patted his back. Taken out of his reverie, Ming Yi stared at the pair. He bowed his head as an apology for taking up so much time. As he and He Xuan passed one another, he felt a familiarity he couldn’t quite place with the older man. Dismissing it, he sighed. _It doesn’t matter, does it?_ He thought.

He Xuan helped his father kneel on the cushion and passed him the incense sticks. Together, they silently prayed side by side. He had finished his prayers first. Father He remained in solemn tribute, his eyes closed. When he finished, He Xuan helped him up and they planted their incense batch together. His father’s strength was weak and so he helped re-plant the batch.

In the corner, not obvious to other passengers, he saw Zhu Yingtai leaning on a wall, clutching her throat. Liang Shanbo carried the empty basket and held onto her shoulders. In his hand, he grasped a tiny bottle, stealthily pocketing it into his sleeve behind his cousin’s back. Ming Yi was watching them from behind a tree. Perched on a branch above him was a messenger pigeon. The bamboo carrier tied to it’s foot was empty.

Liang Shanbo whispered to his cousin and then gently guided her to a pathway away from the temple. When they were out of sight, Ming Yi reached out for the pigeon, slipped a small scroll into the bamboo carrier and whistled a command. Then taking the opposite path, he disappeared out of sight.

After spending a _shichen_ praying and then touring the premises, they decided to head home. Seeing that his father was tired, he carried him on his back. Father He protested, but the concerns were dismissed.

“Why can’t I carry you? You don’t weigh anything.”

He carried his father happily down side streets to avoid crowds, barely feeling the weight. The bony ribs pressed into his back and the skin lining the jaw felt warm. Father and son walked thirteen _li,_ arriving at the house around an hour. He stooped down to make sure they didn’t accidentally hit the roof of the door frame.

He sat down on the bed, rolled his father onto the bed, and pulled the blanket over him. Sitting propped against the bedpost, he fell asleep. Almost falling off the bed jolted him awake. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he sat up straighter. The area around them was quiet. All of the neighbors were out in celebration or asleep in their houses.

While he was sleeping, his father had pulled the blanket up over his legs and shoulders. He lifted the blanket off to place it back over his father, but stopped. The blanket dropped out of his hands. The elder’s face was pale and his mouth gaped open. A fly landed on the bottom lip, sitting there a while before flying off seek nutrition and warmth elsewhere. He Xuan drew a trembling hand to his father’s mouth. There was no breath. Shaking the rigid body, he tried to get him awake. Gentle whispers soon became desperate pleas.

When he remained still, he got out of the bed and searched for the box that he had hidden behind the wall. He stuffed all the money he had saved and shoved it into his robes. Dressing his father into a wool outer coat, he placed him onto his back. He threw open the doors and ran back to the town to summon a doctor. He banged on the doors, but the majority of the available physicians had either gone away for the long holiday or were still out enjoying the festivities.

Finally, he found one physician still at home, a Physician Yan. The young man peeked his head out of the boarded medicine store. He Xuan shoved money into his hand. The doctor glanced at the money and then allowed them in. Another man in black and blue robes glanced at the father and son.

“Bring me a light, Mingye.”

“Whatever.” Mingye replied, but he fetched a light. Physician Yan checked the pulse and other vitals. He Xuan knew the answer. The Reverend swirled around him since the return from the temple, unable to enter the sacred grounds.

Physician Yan took He Xuan’s hand and placed the pouch of money in it. He snapped his fingers and Mingye gave their client a herbal concoction. “If you take this, it will give you enough energy so that you can make proper arrangements for him.”

Wordlessly, He Xuan placed the medicine in his sleeve and then carrying his father on his back again, he left the clinic. He went back home. His feet were slower as though he were afraid to go back. But no matter how slow his steps were, he still reached the destination. Laying his father back in the bed, he tucked the blanket over him.

He set about cleaning up the house by dusting the furniture, sweeping the floor, folding the laundry, re-washing the dishes, cooking the rice. Sitting down at a stool by the bed, he stared out the window. Autumn leaves turned from their bright glossy moss to those hues found in ripe peaches and apricots.

The sun rose.

When it had risen to a sufficient height, He Xuan left it and made the funeral arrangements. His father’s remains were cremated and placed in a matching urn. Sitting in his sack mourning clothes, he burned joss paper money. He had not eaten since his father’s death, but he had brewed the medicine from Physician Yan. It provided him with the strength to continue without fatigue.

The rice he had prepared from earlier had dried. He sat down at the bench and he stuffed the rice into his mouth. It cracked unpleasantly between his teeth. Several grains clung to his throat, pricking the sensitive tissue, but he ate it all.

He placed the empty bowl in front of the Reverend. The spirit glanced at the wooden bowl, swirling and dipping into the curved structure and then setting back into in the bench. He Xuan rose and opened up a metal trunk. Carefully he wrapped each urn in a cloth and placed it in the trunk.

He took the black pouch with the silver waves from inside his robes. His fingers ran over it gingerly before tucking it inside a piece of silk. He placed it next to the urns. He Xuan had removed stones from the floor and dug underneath the house. In the hole, he placed the trunk containing the urns and pouch. With a spade he shoved dried earth into the spots around the trunk before applying fresh cement and replacing the stones.

He tied Qing-er’s leg guards around his legs and retied Yuan Yu’s ribbon around his hair. Carrying a small satchel across his chest, he prepared for his journey. On foot, he traveled back to Fugu. The Reverend was following steadfast. He did not feed at this moment. He could have, but instead delayed his meal because  of curiosity. 

** Revenge **

B y the fourth day, He Xuan had reached Fu g u by nightfall.  First, he went to the Chang Manor.  He entered the well and threw sleeping powder into it. By mid-evening, the entire family had eaten their share of food, wine, and water. They fell asleep earlier than usual. 

He Xuan climbed the wall to the servant’s quarters. Guard dogs growled when he jumped down from the roof. He tossed the guard dogs a link of sausages. Greedily, they ate up the poisoned meat, falling over moments later. Behind the dogs was a storage shed. He found a dull ax in front of it. He held the blade in his hand.

_No time to sharpen it._

He threw it over his shoulder. The closest room in the main house belonged to Chang Ping. Walking into the first bed room, he found the sleeping second son and his wife. He drew his ax up and decapitated both. It took several tries because the blade was dull. Before leaving, he carved out Chang Ping’s tongue and used a hair ornament on the vanity to gouge out both eyes. 

Blind and mute in death fitted the second Chang son well. He left the ax in the room. Instead he choose a different weapon for each room. Butcher knives, bricks, rope, scissors, canes, jade weights, whips. Finally he came to the room of Chang Chai. Madam Chang Chai, he strung from a ceiling beam with a string of her clothes looped together to form a rope.

Then he dragged Chang Chai out of his bed and tied him to a laundry post in the middle of the courtyard. The sleeping powder kept him asleep through the whole ordeal.

In the grand sleeping quarters, Chang Cian also slept like a log. He decided not to bother hanging this concubine lying next to him. He had already killed Chang Cian’s principal wife in one of the other rooms. He picked her up by the head and snapped her neck. He then pulled on Chang Cian and dragged him to be tied up next to his son. These two were the last.

Because the manor was so far away from the other houses and the rest of town, he didn’t need to be bothered about anyone hearing the screaming. He started a fire in a pit and boiled some water, poking the  kindling with iron tongs. He took a bucket of icy well water and threw it on the two sleeping men. 

They both jolted upright with their eyes widened. Before them was a man dressed in white mourning clothes and wool leg guards. Splatters of blood covered him from head to feet. Chang Cian squinted.  The hair was patches of white and black, the face  was thin, but still  seemed  young. He looked familiar. 

_He Xuan._

The name died on his mouth. He Xuan shoved the burning poker into his mouth.  Chang Chai screamed at the sight. He closed his eyes tightly, but he could  still  smell the burning flesh.  Then he felt a warmth close to his face. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the glowing poker first and then at man holding  it . 

“Chang Chai, do you know what my sister said once. She said you should all suffer Lingchi.”

“I-I d-d-didn’t. It w-wasn’t m-me!”

He Xuan burned the tongue. He didn’t want to hear excuses.  Then he gouged out the eyes with his own hands. Just one eye each. So they could still see the blade  he had sharpened to carve them layer by layer. 

The Reverend was happily feasting his eyes. It had been so many years since he had seen such misery and he fed himself on Chang Cian and Chang Chai’s misery.  The massacre only took a couple hours,  but it seemed that his prey was just beginning. 

Taking all the  cooking and lighting  oils out of the  kitchen and storage, he threw it all over the residence and left it to burn.  Taking the back roads, He Xuan walked into town.  It was still early evening, but the Yamen was closing down. Heading there, he found one officer and bashed him on the head before stealing his clothes. 

A closer study on this face and he knew that this was one of the guards that regularly assaulted the villagers when they wouldn’t pay his bribes. He picked up the man’s body and threw him down the well. Then he tucked the hat low over his face and entered the grounds. He sneaked past the guards at the main residence and set fire to a random corner which drew the officers’ attention.

They bee-lined to put out the fire, leaving the jail unattended. He threw off the disguise and yanked the keys off the wall. Running down the steps, he unlocked the first cell and then threw the keys to one of the freed men. These men took up the task of freeing the rest of their fellows.

“You! You! I know you!” They shouted. “Scholar He! It’s Scholar He!”

He Xuan ignored their cries and tossed an officer’s sword to one and a whip to the other. Then he ran back up the stairs. If he had thrown weapons to the mining camp, no one would have moved. They would have been too careful and starving to rebel. But prisoners who had yet to be sentenced were of a different breed and they felt the decades of injustice of a failed system much more keenly in their homeland than those of the miners in a foreign one. He Xuan knew that each man would take care of the rest. There was only one man he was looking for.

_Judge Chao._

Sure enough, surrounded by luxury and gold, Judge Chao hid in his  chambers like a dragon hoarding  in  a cave of  priceless treasures. When he entered through the window behind him.  He passed by a sword rack and plucked it from where it hung and unsheathed it. It was ironic that Judge Chao chose to huddle over riches and treasures, none of which he could used to defend himself with. 

The intruder held the sword high above his head and hurled the blade down. Judge Chao saw the sword’s shadow and rolled out of the way. He used a gold plate to shield himself and screamed. But He Xuan made quick work of him, sliding the blade across his throat.

B ut a few guards had come.  Just two, but that was enough. They stared at the dead body of the magistrate and unsheathed their swords. In the lantern’s light, he recognized them as Ling San and Yan Yunqi.  They recognized him as well, number 44. 

“ A-San!” 

Ling San jumped forward, rashly slashing his blade. His martial arts was a mess, blinded by fury. Yan Yunqi was more skilled, but also predictable. He Xuan tried to remember what little martial arts he had read in passing, but lacked the physical conditioning required to pull off those maneuvers. Instead, he relied on sheer determination and the fact that he had nothing else to lose.

He forced them on the defensive, cutting at their arms and legs, but it was not without injury to himself. When Yan Yunqi was caught off-guard, he stabbed him through the neck and twisted the blade before yanking it out.

“Yan-Xiong!”

With renewed fury, he attacked He Xuan’s side, stabbing him in the gut. He tried to push the blade through, but paused. Blood gurgled from his mouth. He looked down at his chest. He Xuan’s sword had pierced him straight through his heart. Clutching at the bare blade, he fell to his knees, staring at his fallen comrade with his eyes open.

He Xuan stared at the sword stuck in his side. He barely felt it as he wrenched it out and tossed it aside. He stepped out of the treasury and headed to the main courtyard. Someone had set the yamen on fire for him. _Good for them,_ he thought.

Dozens of bodies of prisoners and officers alike littered the grounds. The court office that was a symbol of law, order, and justice was mired in hellish mayhem. He had almost made it completely out the door when he heard his name being called.

“HE XUAN!”

He turned and was run through with a knife in his leg. He grabbed the blade out and jabbed Ping Ru with it. He held the man quietly as he set him softly down on the ground to bleed out from his wound. He staggered from the yamen as it was lit aflame in the night, bright and lovely like a golden lotus lantern swimming in the sea of night.

Untying one leg guard, he pressed it against his injured thigh and tied it close with Yuan Yu’s ribbon. Then he continued on. His loose hair, thick with sweat, blood, and singed by fire blocked his vision. But like a magnetic compass, he was able to find his way back to Chengcheng County.

Remembering his agreement to see Fu Hanyin, he headed to the Fractional Reserve Bank. The remodeling was finished, but it was still closed. He entered through the back door and heard two voices.

“Hey, are these better? This looks like their signatures, right?”

“Yeah, we need both on these documents to make it look legal. These are good. Burn the originals. The Shen will definitely be pleased with these.”

“Thanks for including me in this. I owe you.”

“No problem. I understand. You and me were here longer than everyone one else and that new guy, one year and he replaces us as the head manager. That’s shit. Of course, when the Shen offered to pay me, I thought, I’d be kind and include you. Hey, just keep this between us, but I heard that Fu Hanyin was killed in a skirmish during one of the Caravan raids. I heard he was torn to pieces. There’s not even enough of him to bury. But that’s just as well. With these documents and the Shen backing us, Fu Hanyin was going to be drowning in debt.”

“That’s g--” The other man was just about to congratulate his peer when he noticed that the young man had paused mid speech. His eyes widened, unblinking and he slumped forward. His friend screamed.

“Ghost! Ghost!”

He tripped over the burning tin of documents lighting himself on fire. He Xuan found a large inkwell and smacked him over the head with it, pummeling it down until the man either lost consciousness or died. He didn’t care which. He stomped on both bodies, swinging with both arms until he heard a crack. Two cracks. He stared at his arm. It dangled at an angle from the shoulder and a bone had cracked in his upper leg.

Laughing, he patted his arm and leg with the other hand, thanking them for the hard work and praising their capacity to have held out for so long. He patted Yuan Yu’s ribbon and his leg guard.

“Yu-er, Qing-er, let’s go home now. Everything’s good!”

But He Xuan collapsed in the stairwell, laying there as the building went ablaze. And the Reverend who had stayed with him hovered above, angry. He had wanted to eat this meal, ripe with fear. But the man laying on the steps was not afraid. He was deliriously happy in a genuine way.

It would not be a good meal. Still, he had ate quite well these past four years and it was all thanks to this young man. He tenderly caressed the young man’s cheek and bid him farewell. He Xuan spent the last moments in his life, building a seed of anger. There was one enemy left. He had almost forgotten it in the eagerness to rejoin his family.

The Reverend. But the spirit was already gone.

Huddling around the final flame in his body, he protected it fiercely, affixing every bit of will into that burning seed. He Xuan felt the real flames of the burning building all around him. He burned to death. His mortal body had died, but his soul had lived.

He began his second life as a ghost.


	7. The Butterfly Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan goes into the Kiln

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zhuang Zi Source:  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)  
> https://www.learnreligions.com/butterflies-great-sages-and-valid-cognition-3182587

**The Kiln**

It had been several months since his passing. In his prior life, he was adept at cloaking his presence as to not be noticed by others. He continued to do the same. He discovered that he could change his form for short periods of time. For a while, even though he knew the search for the Reverend was his main priority, he wandered.

He wandered from country to country, reading books, occasionally stealing into noblemen and famous scholar’s libraries to have access to books he would have never been able to touch while living. He saw how truly stark the difference between the living standards of the wealthy and commoners were. Even lower than them, those of beggars. They were alive, but just barely and it was a difficult process to watch. The slow transition to death. After observing them for a while, He Xuan felt that he had seen enough.

His new form was lighter than his previous, so he traveled quicker. Somehow he ended back in Fugu, just in time for the end of Autumn. A strange festival he had never seen before was being enacted. In the cold, figures were dressed in bloody rags, with their innards hanging out, eyes popping out of their sockets, with wounds all over their bodies.

In the midst of all maimed beings, was a central figure dressed in black scholar robes. He Xuan shook his head. He was wearing white mourning robes and the traditional hemp sack during this time, but he supposed those who began this parade were not actual witnesses to the massacre and likely remembered him as the poor scholar in black rags.

Years from now, he wondered what other details would they get wrong?

He smiled, but the expression got caught in his throat. Several women with white ropes around their necks forced him to remember Yuan Yu. As the women came closer, he chastised himself. Their dresses and heavily powered faces were made to resemble the Chang Clan Madams, not Yuan Yu. He Xuan stayed for the entirety of the Bloody Fire Social.

Then he walked on.

Staring at the city gates, he realized he had ended up at Chengcheng County again. He passed by a familiar figure and began to follow him. Ming Yi kept looking behind himself to see if he was being followed. He walked to the residential area and glanced up at a fine house that isolated it from all the others. It rested on a hill on its own. It would take him at least an hour to climb up the steep hill by foot. He Xuan decided to arrive first. He stepped through the main gates, passing through like a ghost.

It was unusually quiet. It was also dark. From the servants’ quarters to to outer rooms, these were all unoccupied. A needle’s spot of light beckoned from the center of the house. The inner chambers were where daughters stayed in noble houses.

Carefully, he headed to the only lit room in the house. Passing through the closed doors, he found in the living quarters a table with an empty bowl. Zhu Yingtai sat at the table with the bowl in front of her, dreadfully pale.

She wore a wool cloak over sleeping garments that dwarfed her small frame even more. Since that day in the temple, she had lost more weight. She appeared to have difficulty breathing, closing her eyes every few minutes from the struggle. Liang Shanbo sat next to her. He pulled the girl into his arms and patted her head.

“Biao-ge, I’m so tired...” The words were tumbled out in a rasp and she closed her eyes to sleep.

“I know.” Liang Shanbo answered as he held her hand.

The gentleness in his voice and eyes glazed over as the strength holding his hand ebbed to a standstill. The soft breaths against the collar of his robes also stopped. Bracing her weight against his chest, he picked up the girl who was as weightless as a coffin doll and carried her to a bed. He fixed the crumpled robes and placed her hands, one over the other on her stomach. Draping a blanket over the motionless body, he sat by her bedside.

He leaned over to kiss the top of her hair and then whispered, “Good night, Yingtai.” Liang Shanbo continued to stay by her side, wondering if she had made it yet to the ferryman who would carry her in the Underworld.

A short time later, the door to the chambers opened. Ming Yi stared at the empty bowl on the table and then past Liang Shanbo to Zhu Yingtai in an eternal sleep. He was too late. His fists clenched into fists and was about to run out of the room, but the chilling look in the other man’s eyes kept him rooted to the spot.

“You know I had always wondered why you looked familiar. You related to _that_ prisoner _._ ”

“My brother’s name was Ming Yue. You sent him to the worst mining camp and he died.

“You worked for Fu Hanyin? I didn’t know he had loyal followers left. I thought the Shen had wiped all of you out. Guess not.” Liang Shanbo stood up by his cousin’s bedside. He gestured for the boy to leave. “Get out. This room is sacred ground.”

“Then why are _you_ in it?”

Before Ming Yi could react, Liang Shanbo shot forward and threw him to the ground face first. With the precise movements of a man who had studied military offense, he broke the arm at every joint. He repeated the action with the other arm and then dragged the boy out to the courtyard.

He Xuan walked over to the bedside and stared at the young girl. The pale corpse, half covered reminding him of the one several years prior laying on a thin sack over the cold floor of the courtroom. He peered up at the silk canopy bed curtains, at her wool and satin cloak that was finer than anything Qing had ever owned. But Qing-er would have been the same age had she lived. This creeping similarity disturbed him. Along with one other likeness that was the most frightening of them all.

“ _Biao-ge, I’m so tired...”_

“ _I know.”_

The absolute, unshakable faith their had in their respective ‘Ge’. Though He Xuan had failed Qing-er, though he had felt unworthy of such trust, he had never betrayed it. Wherein lied the biggest difference between the girl lying in the bed before him and the girl lying as ashes in an urn beneath stone.

Slowly, He Xuan walked to the open doors. He stepped over the threshold and into the courtyard. Liang Shanbo had smashed the boy’s face into the solid ground. Blood awash the stone with bits of skin and cartilage.

“You should be wiped out like the trash you are. Like your brother. Like all the scum that don’t know their place.”

He Xuan reached out a hand, but all that came from it was a small breeze. He stared at the powerless hands as the boy was beaten until he had lost consciousness. Liang Shanbo lifted the crippled youth by the scruff of his robes and took him underground to a running furnace.

He opened the iron doors and pushed the boy’s body in. The flesh sizzled and crackled. The clothes burnt away first and the skin second and then finally the bones. Looking at his dirtied boots, he took them off and threw them into the fire along with all his clothes.

Without realizing it, He Xuan reached out to touch the fire. Nothing. He felt nothing. Just like the man standing next to him. Liang Shanbo locked the furnace door and headed back upstairs to find a fresh pair of clothes.

As if the Gods were pleased with him, rain bled from the sky and washed away the traces of blood before it could settle into the porous surface. All traces of the late night visitor were gone, like yesterday’s garbage.

In the morning, when the servants returned, they found the Young Miss who they had thought left with the rest of her family the day before, dead in her bed. Terrified they notified her cousin, Liang Shanbo, who had worked an overnight shift at the Mining Bureau. He rushed home and in a fit of despair, beat all the servants and trashed the entire house before returning to grieve at his cousin’s bedside.

When the coroner was called to verify the cause of death, he certified it as complications from a long term illness. He did not bother to run any tests or check the body. He trusted Liang Shanbo’s word and the receipts and prescriptions the previous doctors had done over the year.

He pitied them. _Let her rest,_ the physician said. _And let her cousin begin the healing process._

The proper funeral customs took seven days before Zhu Yingtai could be laid to rest and like a ghostly relic, her corpse showed no signs of deteriorating as other bodies had. Many witnesses believed that this was due to the purity of her spirit.

_Perhaps she had ascended and became an immortal_ , one witness thought. But of course, months would prove this wrong. The poison she was fed daily merely preserved her well. She would rot, the same as they all would. It had just happened in the reverse. She rotted internally first, but there was only one person who knew that.

Or perhaps two.

Two weeks after his cousin’s burial, late one night, Shen Liqin visited Liang Shanbo in his room. He Xuan didn’t need to see what went on to know what transpired. These individuals and those like them, he thought, after he took care of the Reverend, he would see to them. But first he needed to become stronger.

Finding some books on legends and listening to other spirits talk when they thought they were among just friends, he gathered information about a Kiln. He learned the location, what it did, about a Ghost King called Crimson Rain Sought Flower, and he studied Qigong and martial arts.

He mastered those easily. He read books about legendary monsters and savage spirits. He stayed in inns that cultivators often stayed in, learning to cloak his form and mask his scent. From this, he learned how to spot monsters and identify their species. Once you knew what an enemy was, you could destroy them. And so he passed some months in this manner, gaining strength and knowledge as a ghost.

Finally, the kiln opened.

It was ready for another Ghost King. He Xuan headed to the mountain, stealthily cloaking his presence. There was no need to fight all these minor ghosts just yet until they had officially reached the barrier which he found was sooner than expected. At first, he fought practically, identifying demon after demon, and relying on his wealth of knowledge to destroy them through their known weaknesses. After killing several hundred, he realized he didn’t need to rely on his acquired knowledge anymore, he already had the power to make it through to the kiln.

The kiln closed.

It remained closed for twelve years.

There was simply no time to think while he was there. Survive. That’s all there was. There was no other world now except the one he had chosen. It was a suffocating mountain. Hot and stifling and dirty. Legions of dead spirits spilled through the ant-like corridors. Hungry, he fed himself on those, roasting them over the lava pits.

On the occasion when he had a live enemy, once defeated, he kept them alive for days and ate them one piece at a time. Like his prior time in the mining barracks, he kept track of the time with tally marks on his body. The top of the kiln would expand and retract once everyday he realized. At first he kept track of it, knowing it was probably important information, but not knowing the exact significance until later.

_How many years had gone by?_

Ah, three, way past his previous imprisonment.

_When was the last time he had a decent meal? How many Qingming festivals now?_

He Xuan counted the years. Eight years.

One day, after a full night’s slaughter, he closed his eyes to relax. He had a strange daydream. There was a man, tall and graceful with his back turned away from him. A white ribbon. A jade guan affixed to tie up his hair, but a white ribbon was tied other around his face where the eyes would be. He reached out for him, calling.

_Daozhang._

His eyes fluttered opened.

He held his open palm out and stared at his hand. In the day dream, he wore a single black glove. He Xuan shook his head. What strange delusions arose from being in the Kiln so long? He never knew any Daoists except for the ones he read about in books.

In particular, he thought of Zhuang Zhou and the passage of “The Butterfly Dream”.

昔者莊周夢為胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻適志與。不知周也。

俄然覺，則蘧蘧然周也。不知周之夢為胡蝶與，胡蝶之夢為周與。周與胡蝶，則必有分矣。此之謂物化。

_Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering about, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know that he was Zhuang Zhou._

_Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuang Zhou. But he didn't know if he was Zhuang Zhou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming that he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and the butterfly there must be some distinction!_

The young ghost chuckled to himself. Even now, he could still think of such useless things. Very well, he thought, and that evening until the next morning, he conjured up the most useless philosophies he could remember. He even recited in his mind, his old essays from the civil examination. In a pique of inspiration, he scrawled out some passages on a corpse's gray clothing with the blood puddle of another slain foe.

By morning, the inspiration left him and in it’s place, stewed the feelings of waste and suffering. But first, survival. He hid behind the bodies of his substitute paper and inkwell, surveying the enemy. The demon sauntered forth, sagging bouts of skin hanging over like lumps of ill-washed filling in a damp blanket. He Xuan licked his lips. He was going to eat well again tonight.

How many days had passed? How many months? How many years?

_287, 444, 618..1111, 2909, 3285, 4379 days..._

_120 months...143 months…_

_12 years…_

The kiln expanded one more time. 4,380 days. He Xuan had remembered, Crimson Rain Sought Flower had emerged 10 years in the kiln. He supposed that if he ever succeeded in leaving, he would be the junior.

Most of the demons and spirits had been dispatched. There were two left, insidiously strong. One was himself and the other was….well-known. He had guessed what or rather whom it was until they finally came face to face.

The Reverend of Empty Words.

The Road for Enemies truly was a narrow path.

The spirit was much changed since their last meeting in the stairwell. The black mist squinted in his direction, feigning poor eyesight.

“Xuan-er, is that you? How I’ve missed you. I haven’t had a good, decent meal these last dozen years.”

“Neither have I. I’m hungry too.”

The Reverend smiled. “What are you planning to do, Xuan-er?”

“Rip you apart with my bare hands.”

“Alright then. Do your best.”

The spirit scarcely finished the sentence before He Xuan launched an attack. From all angles, he bombarded with qi attacks. He was determined that whether or not he got out of the kiln, at the very least, he would prevent the Reverend from doing so.

The Reverend dodged and disappeared in wisps of smoke. They fought many hours with neither gaining the upper hand.  Each side sustained injuries, potentially fatal if the battle continued any longer. But the older spirit had grown  complacent , spending hundreds of years  in a lax, leisurely existence. The years spent in the cave continued this lifestyle. 

He Xuan was hungrier, more starved in all aspects.  This edge pushed him beyond any  of his own boundaries. Taking the Reverend’s arm, he stuffed it into his mouth, ripping it askew with his teeth.  The black mist filled his belly, upsetting it further. He pushed the uncomfortable meal down into his gut. Pinning the ghastly spirit down with his hands and feet, he gnawed at the Reverend, and took large bites, consuming the creature. The Reverend struggled to set itself free futilely. It did not surrender, but there was no other alternative. 

A transformation was underway for He Xuan. He was growing wings, transforming from the crawling catepillar, writhing on the ground. Once he consumed the Reverend in it’s entirety, he was capable of taking flight.

The Kiln did not expand.

It opened.

The New Ghost King stepped out. His wings were damp, but would assist  in  flight  when dried. He Xuan stepped back into the world. But was he the butterfly dreaming he was He Xuan or was he He Xuan dreaming that he was the butterfly?

He did not know. 

All he knew now was that he was free. But as he stared back at the mountain from where he had crawled from, he felt loathed to leave it. He had accomplished the his priority, destroying the Reverend. Suddenly in a new form, without a goal, made him endlessly listless.

As he digested the Reverend, scenes of the previous prey tumbled in a chaotic mesh of disorder. Blood, tears, sweat, innards, humiliation, pity, all the worst displays of humanity played out before his mind. It conjured empathy, pain, and disgust.

He Xuan keeled over and retched out what he could manage to let go of. All that was released was spit. He wanted to regurgitate the scenes and images. They were passing. Already fading by the time he struggled to his feet.

One stood out from the rest. A girl’s image. One that he recognized. Instinctively he reached for the black pouch with silver waves in his robes. But it was not there. She wore a light colored silk dress, a phoenix jade waist ornament, and her smile, he never forgot.

“ _Xuan-er, is that you?” The Reverend had asked._

In the midst of wondering what had happened to this girl, he also wondered if such coincidences happened in this world.


	8. The World Turns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan is invited to a Banquet

**12 Years**

The World had changed in superficial ways. Coming out of the mountains, the forest frontier had receded, but denser to make up for the recession. Roads were more uniform. The paths to the cities, closer. Everything needed was within walking distance. Carts were not necessary, but the wealthy utilized gold palanquins and silver plated carriages anyway. Cities were filled to overflowing. Provincial lines had expanded. Buildings were taller, wider, more elaborate.

Nothing was more seemingly changed than people. Contemporary fashion had stronger foreign influence. The hem of women’s skirts became longer, dragging onto the ground to hide their feet, but the necklines lower to showcase cleavage. Men’s robes had a wider array of colors and patterns. The _guan_ became more ornamental and there were even shops that offered powders and rouge promoted by noble sons.

Busking troupes entertained larger crowds. Children who had not existed before his entry into the kiln were now half his height. They ran in small groups, circling around various stalls. He Xuan paused by one, a _yuanxiao_ stall, similar to the one his parents used to run before his mother had become ill. His mouth watered, gazing at the soft, glutinous balls wallowing in a sweet syrupy mixture. He could have stolen some if he wanted to, but gazing at the family that was so similar to his own, he left it alone.

He traveled first to Fugu in time for the Bloody Fire Social. It had evolved significantly since the first viewing. Dramatics, make-up effects, and the body count all rose in scale. Since his death, people had begun praying to him as a spirit that battled villains and bullies. If gods could grow in power through prayers, why not ghosts as well?

The only difference was that ghosts weren’t reliant on prayers and merits. If people ceased believing, the ghosts would continue to exist anyway. He passed through to a temple that he had once taken shelter in. It had been cleaned up. Two roughly made statues were sitting atop the raised platform. A pair of gods similar in appearance. _Brothers?_

A fancy palanquin stopped at the entrance of the shrine. Two courtesans, a man and woman, left their servants outside as they came in to pay their respects. The young man called the woman Jie, so he surmised she was the older of the two.

“Why are we praying to the Gods of Water and Wind? Wouldn’t it make more sense to pray to a Martial God?”

“None of the Gods need concern themselves with tonight’s matter.”

“Then why are you praying?”

“For old time’s sake, I suppose.”

Jie planted her incense sticks in the brass pot. “A-Wei, you should pray too.”

“Maybe later. You know how the Shen Clan despises tardiness.”

“The Liang and Lin Clan don’t like it either.”

At the mention of these names, He Xuan’s ears perked up. _Those bastards are still around?_ Jie and Wei exchanged a smile and a laugh. He Xuan’s anger dissipated. He decided to follow these two. He snapped his fingers and changed into a black and silver butterfly to perch on the inside of the Wei’s palanquin.

As the delicate litter began moving, Wei noticed the tiny butterfly. He held out a finger, beckoned with a wordless ‘Come’. He Xuan fluttered to the finger.

“Little friend, are you here for the show?”

The butterfly’s wings flapped. The courtesan smiled as he leaned forward, his crimson lips full and sultry to kiss the butterfly. “You won’t regret it.” He Xuan flew to the young man’s shoulder. The silk was translucent, almost clear. Wei perched a hand over the gathered robes to reveal a pair of finely toned legs. Freezing wind blew in strong gusts. He should have been cold, but from the stoic expression as he gazed out the window, maybe it wasn’t just the body that was icy.

The magnificent White Jade Manor had not changed at all. It was alight with life and celebration. The chief steward examined their documents and told a set of servants to attend to them and bring them within a half hour to the main Banquet Hall.

“A-Wei, are you so beautiful that even the butterflies in this world think you’re a flower?”

“Jie, don’t tease me. This is because you prayed at the Temple just now. The Wind God must have sent this disciple as a greeting. I heard he’s fond of music. Do your best, Sis.”

Freshening up, the two courtesans changed into their costumes. Jie wore a fashionable auburn gown with an embroidered peony blossom decorating the chest and a light, peach outer robe. Her hair was decorated with peach flower blossoms. A group of maidens were dressed in the identical outfit, hugging pipa instruments to their chest.

Wei discarded his original robes, exchanging them for a thin, black outer robe with embroidery lined down the center and a sheer red layer underneath. After finalizing the finishing touches, the courtesans and musicians were led to the Banquet Hall.

“The Tang Siblings, Tang Jie and Tang Wei, have arrived.”

The uninvited member of the troupe, He Xuan flew into the Hall and rested on a pillar, observing the guests. Liang Shanbo sat next Shen Liqin who fed him grapes. Lin Yan sat across from them in heavy blue robes, much too warm for the heated room. All around the room were important members of the Liang, Shen, and Lin Clans.

Shen Liqin left her seat and approached one of the honored guests on the raised platform, an older gentleman. She poured wine for him. The older man gestured at the two courtesans.

“Is this the surprise you were talking about, Liqin?”

“It is, Grandfather. I was out with Sister Yan one day and we came across them. I thought you would like them. They’re so popular these days. What do you think?”

Grandfather Shen eyed the siblings up and down, accessing each one. “Send them to my room later.”

“As you wish.”

Returning to Liang Shanbo’s side, she snapped her fingers for the performance to start. The pipa players sat down in a row off to the sides and began playing as Tang Wei took up the center of Banquet. He knelt down with a folding fan in his hand. At the sound of his sister’s singing, he rose in a sensual dance.

“Liqin, this is what you prepared? A catamite for your grandfather?”

“Husband, not just him. I got a pair, the most popular duo in the Shaanxi.”

Liang Shanbo shook his head in disgust and drank another cup of wine. He watched Lin Yan be chastised by Grandfather Lin as he commanded her to take a drink to celebrate the festivities. But she did not obey, instead looking straight ahead. Frustrated by her disobedience, but unwilling to make a scene, he turned his view to watch the performance.

床前明月光  _Before my bed the silver moonbeams spread_

疑似地上霜  _I wonder if it is the frost upon the ground_

举头望明月  I see the moon so bright when raising my head

低头思故乡 _Withdrawing my eyes my nostalgia comes around_

歌笙尽  _Sing_

音犹在  _The sound is still here_

人去了  _People go_

空伤感  _A sad emptiness_

花开花落  _Blooms_

独自如梦如归  _Just like a dream_

我醉  _I’m drunk..._

我独自对酒当歌  _I’m singing alone to wine_

醉  _Drunk..._

我独自对酒当歌  _I’m singing alone to wine..._

Tang Wei lowered his lashes in a demure glance while his hips swayed provocatively to the sensual lyrics. He gathered his hands up together high above his head, joining them together, apart with the finesse of a snake slithering over dewy grass. Every gesture was designed to allure, every tilt of his eyes to captivate, every sliver of revealed flesh to seduce.

The alcohol blurred the lines of the guests’ inhibitions. The soft voice, combined with the sensual dance raised the temperature in the hall to stifling. He Xuan observed the change carefully. There was only one person who remained unaffected. Lin Yan.

As the dance continued and the guests became more intoxicated, Tang Jie’s voice echoed in the listener’s eyes, persuading them to become so.

醉  _Drunk…._

醉  _Drunk…._

醉  _Drunk…._

Lin Yan rose from her table, undoing the sash of her blue robe. As the cloak slipped off her shoulders, it was revealed that she was wearing white mourning robes. She took out the plain ornament holding her hair and left it on the low table. She retrieved a white hood from her sleeve and placed it over her head. She snapped her fingers. All entrances and exits to the Banquet were closed. All windows were barred.

又是月儿圆  _Again it is that full moon_

我把酒问青天  _I raise my wine to ask the heavens_

She took the cup of wine that she did not drink and poured it out on the floor, toasting the two elderly men at the head of the room.

为何思念的痛看似遥遥无终点  _Why does heartbreak seem like it will go on forever?_

The pipa players lowered their instruments and rested them on the floor. Tang Jie’s voice rang out without the accompaniment of musical composition, haunting in its solo presentation.

空寂的房间  _In this empty lonely room_

我闭上了双眼  _I close shut my eyes_

Lin Yan closed her eyes. A single tear left her eye. Tang Wei also cried as he continued to the final formations of his dance.

如梦如归  _As if in a dream as if returning home_

At the voice that kept it’s audience in thrall faded to nothing, the pipa players, the servants, and guards left their posts and slaughtered the helpless, drunk guests. An abundance of blood spilled, much freer than the wine. Lin Yan knelt down in front of her grandfather as the Tang Siblings each took hold of each arm.

The elderly man bit his tongue and spat out blood. “That night, I should have left you to die!”

“But you didn’t.” Lin Yan brought her hands together in a clasp and kowtowed three times. Then she stood up and watched as the siblings stabbed him to their heart’s content before moving to the next target, their own target.

“Don’t we look familiar, Patriach Shen?” As the elder’s eyes widened, his skin was carved from his body until the bone was revealed. Lin Yan found Liang Shanbo and Shen Liqin still alive. Shen Liqin crawled on the floor, her only weapon was a hairpin from her hair.

“Y-you b-bitch!”

A maid servant who still bore scars on her face caused by her former mistress, dragged Shen Liqin back and cut her tendons. Screaming in agony, the woman in mourning clothes looked on with an impassive, impenetrable expression.

“Did any of you ever think this day would ever come?”

Her voice was soft. Ethereal and hypnotic. It was the voice that one expected to hear offering kind wishes, bestowing favors, and eschewing vices. A loud roar of laughter erupted from Liang Shanbo. He smashed a fist on the table.

“I always knew you weren’t as a simple as you pretended to be. But who knew you were capable of this? 12 years?? You waited such a long time for this? What a waste!”

“Is it?” His sister in law stood in front of his table and asked another question. “Why did you kill Yingtai?”

Liang Shanbo’s lips tightened, but blood gushed from an internal wound. His eyes closed as his body slumped forward. He had bit his tongue in half. Crazed laughter tumbled from Shen Liqin.

“Hahahahahaha, he’d rather die than tell you! What a stupid man!”

Lin Yan raised her hand to command the servant, offering a stay of execution. She knelt to the young woman. Shen Liqin pulled herself up to her elbows. “I’ll tell you why. It wasn’t for me. I’m not that jealous. I had already dropped the match by the families and they all favored it. She was supposed to go to Fu Hanyin. But someone didn’t like that!”

She glared at the dead man nearby. “He sent the bandits a warning of the Fu Defense troops and armed with that, they outnumbered him. Not a single man was left. He was so paranoid, he ordered for the head of every man killed to be brought to him. I thought, fine then. Alright, so I failed in that match. But at Grandfather’s birthday celebration, you saw it. She caught Cousin Wen’s eye. Liang Shanbo won’t kill a Shen, right? RIGHT! He kills her instead! Just like a man, isn’t it?”

Lin Yan didn’t answer. She rose to her feet and began to walk away. “Wait! Wait! I took care of you! Yan-er!!!! I TOOK-!!! The maid servant finished her work. Unlocking the barrier to the double doors, Lin Yan walked down the corridor for the final time in White Jade Manor.

He Xuan fluttered down and landed on Tang Wei’s shoulder. “Little friend, did you enjoy the show?” The butterfly flapped his wings. “I suppose this is where we part?” He Xuan flew upward in front of the young man’s face. The breeze created by the flurry of shuttering flaps caressed Tang Wei’s lips like a kiss.

“What’s this? A lover?” Tang Jie asked. She wiped a bloody hand across her cheek.

“Not everyone and everything’s a lover.” He waved as the butterfly fluttered down the hall toward Lin Yan. He trailed after the white-clothed figure as she passed by the splendor of the residence that would eventually fade in her memory. She took nothing.

She left the premises and headed back to Shenmu, settling into a small house. It was isolated, the lone one in the bamboo forest. There were three graves in the front of the home. Everyday, the stones were washed and the floors were swept. This continued for the next fourty-four years until her quiet death during her sleep.

He Xuan helped washed the stones for her that day. His fingers pressed into the damp stone carving. The indentations were shallow, but neat. _Lin Ran. Yi Bin. Yi_ _Chen_ _. Brother. Husband. Son._

As his fingers pressed into the carved strokes of the name “Chen”, he thought of the namesake of the man that inspired it. Dust. That’s what the memory seemed to leave behind. A faint dusting on his soul.

The final stone was one that He Xuan had carved. Lin Yan. Sister. Wife. Mother. After sweeping the small plot’s floors, he didn’t look back, in the same way the avenging mourner hadn’t as she journeyed from the ruined manor to this quaint little home, the only one she truly ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dance Inspiration  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Cq1ugUIqM  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=GWd-xEOqENI  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie_OimHH3Tc
> 
> “Drunk” Lyrics By Isabelle Huang  
> https://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-drunk.html
> 
> The first stanza of the song is from the poem by Li Bai.  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet_Night_Thought
> 
> Chen (Xiao Xingchen)  
> https://dictionary.hantrainerpro.com/chinese-english/translation-chen_dust.htm


	9. Eternal Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan meets Ming Yi who has reincarnated into a new life and sets his plan into motion.

**Xuan-er**

Over the course of many years, He Xuan established Nether Water Manor on Black Water Island in the South Seas. Within the Lair, he gathered thousands of books, stewing in knowledge. He came across one rare entry in the study of Demonic Cultivation Spells.

An ancient array and talisman that could be used to lure negative entities and demons. He read the instructions on what to look for. A chill rolled down his back. He placed the book down on the divan. After locking the manor with a protection spell, he traveled back to his old hometown of Fugu.

The little house that used to be his home still stood. The area was long abandoned in lieu of more prosperous, fortunate places. It was overrun with greenery. With a swift swing of his hand, the tall grasses blocking his way shifted to the side.

With a tentative hand, he pushed open the door. He brushed away the cobwebs and burned them into dust. Demons cowered in the corners, huddling in fright. He ordered them to come here. Crawling on the ground, the demons lowered their heads obediently, putting down the animal bones they had been gnawing on.

“Why are you here?”  
  


The demon’s eyes widened, looking at the bone, thinking that the reason was quite obvious, but it did not dare be rude. So it raised a claw towards the supporting pillar of the house and then crept out of the Ghost King’s way. He Xuan looked at this pillar that he had passed by every day in his childhood.

In one spot, it had cracked considerably. A piece of paper stuck out. He peeled it out. A demon lure talisman. Gripping it in his hand, he walked to every pole in the house and found one. The door to his bedroom was open. In the moonlight of the open window, a yellow piece of paper glowed from a hole in the bed. Cautiously, he stepped over to the bed and retrieved the paper.

Exposure had aged the paper, but the writing was clear. On it was his name, birth-date, and address. Cycling through his memories, he remembered that his family had not been plagued with nightmares and bouts of illness until that final year for the Civil Exams even though they had lived in that house for most of their lives. The Reverend too had not come until that year as well.

In one of books he had read, that he thought Qing-er would enjoy, 1001 Nights, one story had stood out to him about a Sultan and Beggar. _If only such things were true,_ he had thought. Two other memories flitted into his mind. The one that occurred after the consumption of the Reverend asking the question _‘Xuan-er, is that you?’_ and the young girl who had taken his hand and placed a pouch in it. The older boy had called her _‘Xuan-er’._

Hurriedly, he took the pouch out. It was the last object that he had left from his old life other than the ashes of his family. He had only worn Yuan Yu’s ribbon and Qing’s leg guards because he wanted to avenge them. He left the pouch behind because he believed that it had nothing to do with the events that occurred or were about to occur.

_What if he had been wrong all this time?_ There was only one way to find out. He Xuan exited the house and looking at the hands that contained the talismans, he called forth the demons and spirits with spiritual energy.

“Find me the Messenger of the Ghost King Hua Cheng.” When the demons and spirits cowered and stalled, he shouted. “NOW!”

It took days, but they were able to find a messenger. The man wore a mask and his voice seemed quite young. He held out his hands in greeting.

“Lord Black Water, this humble servant greets you. What can I do for you?”

“I need a favor from your Master.”

“A favor?”

“He is the only person capable and I am willing to offer an exchange of equal recompense.”

“I understand. I will pass along the message. His Lordship is not always in the Ghost City. Perhaps you have a meeting place in mind?”

“I will be in Black Water Island. I will lower the barrier in a month and send a boat to attend to your Lord.”

“Very well, Lord Black Water. I will take my leave of you now. Farewell.”

He Xuan nodded and then he began his search. Regardless if Hua Cheng agreed to his request or not, he was going to infiltrate the Heavenly Court anyway. Working without a single break, he searched for exceptional individuals with protective auras.

Individuals destined for nobility and those that could become Gods had an innate glowing aura that could shield them from low level threats like natural disasters. So, everywhere, for several weeks, Black Water caused low levels of flooding, landslides, and other minor catastrophes.

They were large enough to cause danger and damage, but  not large enough to draw the concerns of the  Heavenly C ourts. People would certainly pray for relief, but the Gods would focus on answering towards the  comfort  of those individuals  instead of checking for  the  causes of the disasters. Most gods seemed to be of a lazy sort, so there was no worry on this front. 

Soon enough, as though drawn by fate, he found one such individual. Ming Yi. This man was present at every catastrophe with solutions. He Xuan studied the young man with his basket of scrolls. In them were plans for repairing and building roads, housing that would sustain dangerous calamities like the ones He Xuan caused, and ideas for paving the mountains while ensuring the safety of the laborers.  He fully expected that this was the individual that he need to fulfill his plan. 

Ming Yi was older in this lifetime. He still outlived his older brother, but their fates were not so poor in this lifetime. Ming Yue worked hard to provide his younger brother with the opportunity to study using the National Archives. He worked tirelessly to the point of ill health and finally death. He Xuan glanced at the Spiritual Memorial Tablet affixed on the altar within Ming Yi’s study. It was cleaned regularly just like those in the Nether Water Manor.

One night, during a walk to research the mountain passes in depth, he experienced his Heavenly Calamity. The barrier had trapped all those within during the trial. For 12 days and 12 Nights, Ming Yi fought. Completing the trial was only the beginning.

Collapsing on the ground after successfully completing the calamity, he stared at the ground as he knelt in pain. The moonlight was above him and he was sure his brother was watching over him. Someone was watching over him, but it wasn’t Ming Yue. Ming Yi never saw what overcame him. Just a black shadow blocking out the light.

He Xuan tossed the new god into a burlap cloth sack and changed his appearance into a middle-aged man. No matter who saw, no one would think anything out of the ordinary. Just a common laborer carrying a sack of rice home.

Except He Xuan’s home was in the South Seas on Black Water Island. He carried the unconscious Ming Yi to Nether Water Manor. All Spiritual Powers were useless in his territory, so he only needed ordinary chains to bind the young man. He used a black cloth to wrap around the man’s eyes to block his sight.

“Who are you? Why are you doing this? I haven’t any money, but I can give you what I have. Is that enough? If I’ve done you wrong, I’m sure I can right it?”

The anxiety in Ming Yi’s voice rose with every question.

“I am you. I have my reasons. I don’t need money. You’ve done nothing wrong. There is no right to readdress.”

“ _I am you.” Me? Impossible,_ Ming Yi thought after the man answered his questions. No matter what he asked, he was sure this man would just continue to answer in these vague responses. He didn’t just overcome a Heavenly Calamity to become a god to allow it to go to waste. Only one way to overcome this matter. Escape.

Pushing his thumbs down into his fists, he pulled them out of their sockets. Breaking your thumb was the quickest way to changing the shape of your hands. He pulled them out of the locks, ripped the blindfold off and began to run. He had memorized the shape of the building, counted the steps, and measured the distance with his shoes.

He had just made it to the entrance when he was met at the entrance with a handsome youth appearing no older than 18, as pale as new fallen snow and wearing clothes as red as maples. With just a tap of his finger he touched Ming Yi on the forehead. The Earth God tumbled to the ground, scarcely noticing the other masked individual behind this red-clothed youth.

Hua Cheng laughed at the collapsed young man at the footsteps of the Nether Water Manor. “The Heavenly Court really houses such pathetic excuses for Gods these days.” His servant moved the body out of the way as he talked to the other Ghost King.

“I assume that whatever favor you need from me has to deal with this thing.”

“Yes.”

“It so rare to have the possibility of being this entertained. So what do you want? Don’t mince words. Just state directly.”

“I need access to the records within the Heavenly Courts. But I’m not a God. So to get there, I will have to impersonate one. I have chosen this young man. We’re close alike enough in appearance. I don’t want to kill him. He may be useful later on. But I can’t keep him in Nether Water Manor. I haven’t amassed followers or servants like the Lord Ghost King Crimson Rain Sought Flower. He needs to be fed and taken care of, but the matters at hand will require my utmost focus. My request is that you take care of my hostage for me. As for what I am willing pay, you name it.”

“Alright. Sounds Fun. Waning Moon Officer.”

“Sir.”

Hua Cheng pointed at the unconscious man. Putting him into a black sack, Yin Yu carried the cargo over one shoulder. “You take him first. I have things to discuss with my Junior.” Hua Cheng watched the two go back to the boat that had carried them across the black seas.

“I want information in exchange.”

“What kind? About who?’

“Whatever you find. I’m sure I can find a use for it.”

“Alright, I agree.”

Hua Cheng turned to leave. “Black Water, one more thing. Once you do this, there’s no turning back.”

“Thank you Senior for your advice. I’m much obliged.”

The other man tossed his hand behind him as he ventured to get back on the boat with his servant. While next to him, he poked the black sack. Ming Yi groaned from within.  He Xuan stayed at the edge of his manor watching the black sack crumple and writhe on the ground, struggling to get out. It was the least that he owed Ming Yi, to see him off. 

Once out of sight, He Xuan returned to the upper level of his manor. Littered all over the floor were materials he had stolen from Ming Yi’s study. Notes taken from young man’s census registry, birth-date, and his residence log. Fortunately for him, though the young man traveled quite a bit, he had lived in the same town his entire short existence.

After observing him for weeks before his Heavenly Calamity,  he could assume the young man’s mannerism s as naturally as if they were his own. Their hands were similar. He Xuan remembered that in a past life, the young man’s dexterous hands working at breaking and refining coal.  Those hands had not changed. Luckily, He Xuan’s hands were similar enough. 

Like a porous sponge, he absorbed the material on engineering, building materials, roads, different regions, transportation routes. He memorized the pivotal moments in Ming Yi’s career, his first accolades at the academy where he studied.

Satisfied that he had done enough for now, he ascended to the Heavenly Court to meet the rest of the Gods. Just as he arrived, he was called immediately to meet the number one Martial God, Jun Wu. The God was on the Martial Avenue, taking a leisurely walk. When He Xuan greeted him, the Martial God offered a gentle smile.

“Earth Master Yi, congratulation on your ascension. You are a man of the people. You will always be a man of the people. How goes it so far? Are you adjusting well?”

“I am. It is quite different being a God.”

“It is.”

Passing down the avenue, two gods, both dressed in white were walking side by side. The taller one wore a frown and was chastising the other. He Xuan peered at the one being chastised. _Young Master Xiao?_ Jun Wu waved them over. He Xuan pushed his anxiety down. It had been several hundred years after all.

Happy to have a break from being chastised, he hurried over to greet them. His eyes passed excitedly over to He Xuan as he listened to Jun Wu’s instructions. Shi Wudu paid his respects to the Martial Emperor.

“Lord Water Master, I have some matters to discuss with you if you have time. We can let Lord Wind Master be the guide for Lord Earth Master. There’s no other candidate more suitable.”

“I understand.” He replied to Jun Wu. Shi Wudu turned to He Xuan and paid his respects. “If my brother causes any disrespect or discourtesy, please forgive him.”

The Lord Earth Master clasped his hands and returned the gesture. “I am honored by Lord Wind Master’s attendance and Lord Water Master’s concern.”

Lord Wind Master was shifting on his feet, waiting for the pleasantries to be done. After Shi Wudu gave him a warning look with his eyes and was escorting the Martial Emperor down the Avenue, he grabbed He Xuan’s hand and ran together with him down the opposite side of the path. The quicker out of sight, the better.

Once they reached the locations of the many gold palaces, Lord Wind Master pointed at one in particular. A translucent, white jade palace. “That’s mine. You can come whenever if you need help. First, you should greet the other Gods. You need to bring gifts. Do you have any already prepared?”

“I don’t.”

“That’s fine. I got plenty. Jun Wu left me with this task. I’ll take care of you. I can get you some. Let’s go to my palace and gather some things. I have lots. Ah, that’s right. What’s your name?”

“Ming Yi. Characters for ‘bright’ and ‘appearance’.”

“Shi Qingxuan.”

_Qing...xuan? Xuan…?_

The Lord Wind Master pulled his arm and they flew down the glittering gold steps. The young boy’s hair whipped wildly behind. His white robes billowed out like a flurry of clouds, draping over He Xuan’s black ones. The hands that held his were soft and tender, the kind that had never worked even a minute of labor. Normally, He Xuan would have pulled his hand out the other’s grasp, but as he gazed at the figure flying ahead of him, carrying him forward, he squeezed the hand tighter.

Shi Qingxuan turned around and gave him a beaming smile. Clasping He Xuan’s hand in turn, they burst through the doors and stopped in the middle of the room.

Walking calmly, they climbed up the stairs and Shi Qingxuan began to pull his hand out of He Xuan’s hold. Although he had allowed it, he felt the impulse to reach back for him. The young boy had knelt down on the marble floor in front of rosewood trunk and began tossing things out.

“Yes, that’ll do. That’s a good present. Crystal scepter. Ancient Rare Book for her. Ah, fox-tail brush for him. Hahahaha, that guy would defiantly like these.”

Shi Qingxuan mumbled to himself, listing out the gods and crossing them off after he had settled on a gift for them. He Xuan thought of the possibilities.

_Xuan-er?_ The child he had encountered was a girl. _Maybe there is a twin sister?_ That could be it. But as he gazed at the youthful face, in his childhood, he could definitely pass for a girl. As he caught the intent stare, the youth smiled knowingly.

“I’m good-looking, huh?”

“...”

“Aren’t I?”

“...”

“Hey, why aren’t you answering? I am, right?” Shi Qingxuan shrugged his shoulders. “Well, close your eyes. I have a surprise.”

“I don’t want to close my eyes.”

“I’m not going to do anything to you. Really. Just close them. A quick second. Come on.”

After pleading and shaking He Xuan’s shoulders, the Earth Master relented and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, before him a was a young girl dressed in fine robes and decorative hair ornaments on each side of her hair. An older version of the girl from the stall. Instinctively, he pressed a hand over his robes where the pouch resided.

Shi Qingxuan leaned down and asked. “Pretty?”

“...”

“Pretty, huh?”

“You’re a girl?”

“Well...”

“Are you or are you not?”

“I wasn’t born a girl, but when I was born, my parents already had my Ge. My mother wanted a girl so bad that she and my other family members dressed me like one. I kinda got used to it and I looked really good like this, right?”

The youth knelt back on the floor next to He Xuan. Shifting away to give more space, Shi Qingxuan glanced at the distance with an ‘oh’. It couldn’t be that he wasn’t pretty enough, he was sure, so he assumed that perhaps Ming Yi had grown up in a conservative household and regarded the separation of men and women seriously.

“You can change into a girl too.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Why? I think you’d be beautiful.” Shi Qingxuan leaned in closer and touched his face. “Your brows are so nice and your eyelashes are so long. They really are.” The soft fingers tenderly caressed the tips of He Xuan’s eyelashes. The Earth Master had leaned so far back to avoid the touch, the Wind Master was nearly on top of him.

“You are too close.” He replied.

Shi Qingxuan glanced down at the proximity of their bodies, gave another ‘oh’, and moved away. Then she continued to rifle through her trunk, allocating more items. It was during this time, that He Xuan finalized that the child _‘Xuan-er’_ and the teenage Young Master Xiao were one and the same. But as for the Xuan that had been switched with him, that remained yet to be known, but the probability was increasing with every second he stayed by the Wind Master’s side.

Did he do it? Is this cheerful, helpful attitude a lie? Like He Xuan’s passive, fake version of Ming Yi? Could that all be manufactured? He supposed that Shi Qingxuan had hundreds of years to perfect it. He could easily hide and pretend to be a girl, lie while under the guise of pretending to be a Young Master Xiao. Suddenly, he remembered the weight of the arms around his neck, the chest against his own, and the silky hair in his fingers.

“I like you better the other way.”

“What?”

“The other form. That’s who you are, isn’t it? That’s better.”

The white wrap woven from a polar bear’s fur slipped out of her fingers. She gazed at the Earth Master wordlessly. Then she changed back into her male form. This was a first. Other than his brother, who was in a league of his own within Shi Qingxuan’s mind, most people preferred his female form. It was after all, his most powerful form and everyone liked power, right?

Breaking out of his reverie, he asked Ming Yi to help pick up the items off the floor and placed them on the divan. He retrieved a small wagon and a bounds of silk and fancy gift boxes.

“I always have these around in case I need to gift one of the gods and ask for a favor. Here, let’s start wrapping.”

“...I don’t have anything to pay you back. This is all too much.”

“It’s fine. I’m giving you all this. My mother once said, that if you can, give to others and don’t expect anything back. That’s why friends have so many problems once money becomes involved. I don’t want to be like that. Here, wrap this in a red cloth with the plum blossom on it. Yeah, that’s right. You did very nice. Your hands, they’re quite beautiful. Can I touch them? No? Stingy. I’m helping you with all this stuff.”

“Didn’t you say not to expect anything back?”

“I just really like beautiful things. Your hands, they really are. I haven’t seen a pair like your since my brother’s. His hands are like water. They’re so clear.”

“Your brother is the Lord Water Master. Does he scold you a lot?”

“Yeah, he thinks I’m always doing something wrong. I accidentally blew the roof off a mansion recently. It took a million merits to square it with the family and smooth the matter over.”

“A million merits?”

“Yeah.”

He Xuan frowned. At most, currently as a new God, he only had 1,000 merits. He’d have to work hard to garner even a fraction of that. “You and I just met, why are helping me?”

Shi Qingxuan stared at him, unblinking, surprised at the question. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve decided to lend a hand. It’s nothing difficult for me, anyways.” Then he looked down back as he placed an enormous pearl in a velvet lined box. “I won’t ask for anything.”

“ _You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve decided to lend a hand. It’s nothing difficult for me, anyways.”_ Those were the same words Young Master Xiao had said all those centuries ago. After thousands of Autumns, who could stay eternal?

They had finished wrapping the gifts and placed them into the wagon. He Xuan turned towards him and held his hands out. Shocked, Shi Qingxuan glanced back and forth at the out-stretched hands and the stoic, very unwelcoming facial expression. That expression conjured up a 1/50th of the unease that Shi Wudu’s displeasure could arouse in him.

But the hands remained out-stretched. “I’m getting tired.”

“Oh! Sorry!” With a nervous smile, Shi Qingxuan gazed at the hands, taking them tenderly in his own. He ran the tips of his fingers over the skin between the knuckle, examined the lean wrists, the glassy nails, the many lines over the palms. He truly regretted not being able to study Daoist Fortune-Telling now.

He Xuan watched the young boy pour over his hands as though they were some fascinating rare treasure. Like their first meeting, he wanted to take the hands and hide them behind his back. But he allowed the youth to do what he liked for as long as he liked because, he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he enjoyed seeing the joy beaming from Shi Qingxuan’s face.

The sun was setting through the arched window and cast the boy in an ethereal luminescence. Dust sprinkled on the fine, delicate lashes and flitted over the parted rosy lips. The mouth that was so close to his hands; the breaths danced on his skin. 

“It’s getting late.”

Shi Qingxuan broke out of his trance and let go. “Oh no! We have to go! Let’s go! Now! Now! You pull the wagon! Of course, you pull it! Look at your hands! The size of them, compared to mine! What? Beautiful? Of course they are? No, that’s not the same thing! Do I look like I do hard labor?”

“...”

“Never mind that! Come on! Come on! We’re late. We got to pass out these gifts as soon as possible to make the best impression. The last time a recently ascended god was late presenting gifts was, do you know when? No, that’s precisely the point! No one knows and rightly so.”

“...”

“Jun Wu entrusted you to me as the ‘perfect candidate’. He said suitable, that’s Jun Wu’s way of saying I was the ‘perfect’ candidate. Hey, hey, don’t look away. You don’t like that pose. How about this one? No posing. Are you asking me to stop living? WHY? Less talking, you! More rolling. Come on!!!”

He Xuan pulled the cart. It wasn’t heavy, but Ming Yi wasn’t supposed to be used to heavy labor either, so he decided to show some strain on his face. Seeing his expression, Shi Qingquan rushed forward to help pull the wagon with him.

“I thought you said you don’t do hard labor?”

“Just this once.”

Together, they tugged at the wagon, spending the next four days presenting gifts and offering greetings to the Senior Gods. After each visit, Shi Qingxuan gave him tidbits about the preferences and strange habits or memorable qualities of those gods.

He banged on one door. “Qi Ying! Your Highness Qi Ying!! Must be sleeping. Here help me climb through the window.”

Shi Qingxuan stuffed a rare Martial Arts Manual into his robes and jumped at a window. He Xuan stared at him blankly. “Sleeping? Gods don’t sleep.”

“This one does. Come on, help me.”

“Won’t breaking into his palace make him angry.”

“Not getting a gift would, especially this.” Shi Qingxuan patted the booklet in his robes. “Help me up.”

He Xuan leaned down and gave the youth a lift. His hand accidentally patted the other God near his bottom in trying to aim for his hip.

“Accident,” he murmured.”I swear.”

“What?” Shi Qingxuan yelled. “I didn’t hear you.” Half his body was over the ledge of the window with his legs kicking out. “Damn these windows, Qi Ying.”

“Could you not be so loud? What if someone comes?’

“We’re not doing anything wrong? Why can’t I be loud? I’m not afraid of anything in the Heavens. Except Jun Wu. But that’s a given. Everyone’s afraid of Jun Wu. Ah!”

Shi Qingxuan tumbled over the window ledge. He Xuan could have caught him, but allowed him to tumble over. He peered over the ledge and saw the youth massaging his bottom. He had hit the ground pretty hard.

Just then, another young boy, just a couple years older than the one sitting on the floor arrived. Crouching down, he looked at Shi Qingxuan, and then held his hand out.

“First, that’s the new Earth Master, Ming Yi. Say ‘Hi’ Your Highness.”

Quan Yizhen glanced at the first upper half of He Xuan’s face peeping outside the window and said ‘Hi.’ Then he shoved his hand in front of Shi Qingxuan’s face. The booklet was placed in it and then he got up and walked away. “Hey, I’m going to use the front door to get out, okay?? Don’t forget to lock it. And this window too.”

Still massaging his bottom, he popped out the door. “Martial God of the West, Quan Yizhen. Genius in Battle. Ditz in everything else. Come on, next.”

“I’ll pull the cart on my own. It’s lighter now.”

“No, it’s alright. I just have to massage it a little bit and then I’ll be fine.” They heard several bangs and crashes within the Martial God of the West’s palace. Listening more carefully, they heard a wall crumble. “Oh, look he’s already practicing. We got to go now. Before he starts looking for someone to spar with!”

With his hands on his bottom, running straight ahead, Shi Qingxuan stormed ahead like a furious gust of wind. He Xuan was right behind him, pulling the cart of gifts. As they blazed through the Heavenly Realm, they provided quite the sight.

News soon reached Lord Water Master’s ears of the strange happenings while he was at Pei Ming’s lodgings with Ling Wen.

“Running from Qi Ying’s palace, massaging his bottom? Why can I envision this so well?”

“Dragging the new Earth Master, Ming Yi, with him as well.” Shi Wudu sighed. “Is all the information you gave me on him complete?”

“You doubt it?” Lingwen asked. Her friend shook his head.

“Not that. I saw Qingxuan the other day. It’s just been a while since he’s been this excited.”

“He made a friend. He makes a lot of friends.”

_No,_ Shi Wudu thought _, this one’s different._ Although from the surface, he couldn’t understand why. Lord Earth Master Yi was handsome enough. His appearance was neat and proper. He was just an engineer, basically a commoner, quiet, respectful, hardworking. Not too dumb, not frightening intelligent. He couldn’t fathom the interest. But Qingxuan was a bundle of energy and few had the endurance to handle it. In this respect, Lord Earth Master Yi as a stable, steady peer, was a stand out.

“The notes said that he was raised by his brother?”

“Yes. He keep the Spirit Memorial Tablet in his palace and regularly cleans it.”

The Lord Water Master’s back was turned to Lingwen while he stood at the window, gazing out at the Palatial Paths. “Hopefully, he’s a good enough friend for him.”

“He’s just the Earth God. If he hurts Qingxuan, just stick Old Pei on him.”

“Stick me on who?”

Pei Ming arrived fashionably late to his own palace after inviting his friends. He looked at the both of them. “Hey, so I saw the strangest sight on the way here.”

“Really? What now?”

“I saw Shi Qingxuan in his female form with another woman. Not bad looking. Not really my type. Too frosty. But must be a new ascension, huh? What? Why are you staring at me?”

“That’s the Lord Earth Master, Ming Yi.”

“Ah.” He realized that Shi Qingxuan must have finally convinced someone to finally join him into changing as a woman. “Seems like he’s having fun.” He strolled over to window and threw an arm over Shi Wudu. “Don’t worry about him so much. Let’s go to this hot springs inn I just discovered.”

Lingwen had already rose from the chair she sat in and transformed to her male appearance. He tugged on Shi Wudu’s arms and then proceeded to push his back towards the door. “If you don’t move, one of us will bridal carry you.”

Shi Wudu unfurled his fan chided the two other men. He followed after Pei Ming who excitedly raved about his most recent discovery. He glanced at Lingwen, the senior head of Literature Gods within the Heavenly Court and the next most powerful Martial Guard after Jun Wu, Pei Ming. Both loyal and excellent friends. He surmised that with friends like these, nothing could go wrong and hoped that the new Earth Master Yi would prove to be just as a good friend as the ones with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “After thousands of Autumns, who could stay eternal?” Qian Qiu by Meng Xi Shi
> 
> Novel Translation  
> https://snowycodex.com/translations/novels/ta/
> 
> Donghua Episode1  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe-3G5YLOYQ


	10. Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a mission to Hangzhou, He Xuan and Shi Qingxuan encounter a Savage.

**The Young Lord Who Pours Wine**

He Xuan studied the movements of the other Heavenly Court Officials and made detailed reports to send back to the Waning Moon Officer at Ghost City. He stationed multiple clones at numerous residences, alternating them in order to maintain the high quality of his clones. He kept track of the Officials’ daily habits, duties, and actions. Most were ordinary and basically careless, so he did not need to send high level clones to watch over those palaces.

It was the upper court Heavenly Officials that he watched the closest. The higher one rose, the more they had to lose and the more to hide. This was basic human nature that remained unchanged whether or not one became an immortal or a ghost.

Because of his diligent and unassuming nature, Jun Wu asked him to pose as a servant within Ghost City, specifically at Hua Cheng’s Paradise Manor. Hua Cheng controlled the information that was released and was given vital information about the Upper Court. Establishing his reputation as a part of the Upper Court Heavenly Official was paramount.

He spent several months studying Lingwen’s Literary Palace. The most important were the routines of junior officials. He chose one innocuous junior to disguise as after posing as a fellow peer, invited the boy to an outing and drugged him. Unlike ghosts, demons, and spirits, whose origins and personal information was secretive, there were multiple officials who were outright about their personal businesses. But not all were this forthright. Some dared not air their dirty laundry and others did not dare either, especially if they had a strong backing.

For instance, Pei Junior’s ascension was awash in dark shadows and the situation at Banyue was a well-kept secret. He was backed by the Martial God, Pei Ming. Hua Cheng was already fully aware of this situation, but like the Heavenly Officials he ignored it. There were multiple instances where He Xuan had tried to curb Shi Qingxuan’s interest in investigating the manner. It would have been a waste of energy. He Xuan accepted taking on other missions which was as good as volunteering the other god. Shi Qingxuan would lose sight of the previous goal and chase after the new mission.

While the rest of the Heavenly Officials were preoccupied, He Xuan placed his plan into motion. Using this junior’s access, he was able to check the records, the births, locations, and familial background of many officials. However, when it came to the records of the Shi Family, he hesitated. His fingers trembled. Finally, he would have answers. The book remained in his hands. His eyes glazed over the cover.

Working up the nerve, he bit his lip and then opened to the records. After skimming to right section, his finger tapped repeatedly. _Luoyang, Shi Family, 8_ _th_ _Generation, Main Branch, Shi..._

_No, it can’t be. That’s not possible. A year later??_ Shi Qingxuan was sixteen when he ascended. Even his communication password contained the phrase “Lord Water Master is Sweet Sixteen”. There’s no way that he’d get his own age wrong, no matter how ditsy he was.

He Xuan had been already checked the Luoyang Census records. The ones that would have contained the Shi Clan records had burned long ago and not many mortals bothered to keep good records of centuries past. He had refrained from asking Shi Qingxuan directly because he was still trying to determine if the personality that the youth displayed was genuine.

There was only one way to find the true birth date and figure out just how involved each brother was in this matter. Shi Wudu was not someone he could easily approach. He had no doubt that it was at either his request that the dates on these records were changed or that Lingwen changed it out of loyalty. He made the decision to immerse himself fully into the role of befriending Lord Wind Master.

唇亡齒寒 _C_ _hún wáng chǐ hán_

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

Shi Qingxuan was an adventurous youth who enjoyed carousing and lively entanglements. It had been nothing but boring task after boring task in regards to the assignments he was given. He was beginning to suspect that Shi Wudu was responsible for the mediocre. If this was his true personality, then infiltrating the youth’s defenses would be easy. It was instead Shi Wudu he would have to guard against.

He Xuan needed to keep up appearances and maintain the prayers sent out to his temples. This kept him busy, but the primary motivation always weighed in the back of his mind.

A prayer from one of the temples in Hangzhou, Zhejiang requested assistance in regards to the construction of some path in the Jianggan District. Lord Earth Master Yi was determined to be the best candidate for this task.

After He Xuan descended from the Heavens, he visited his hostage at Ghost City first. Ming Yi was in low spirits. He didn’t raise his head when his visitor came in. Beside him, a bowl containing a drumstick, rice, and leeks was beside his shackled hands.

He Xuan knelt down and placed his thumb and pointer fingers under the chin to raise the face up. Over the past several months, he had already wrung all the information he needed out of him. Weakly, Ming Yi gazed at his visitor. Then, without warning, he spat at him. He Xuan merely inclined his face, dodging the gesture.

“...w...hat….d...do…..you….w..want?”

He Xuan stood back up and straightened his hands behind his back. “Just came to see you. That’s all.”

Rich laughter filled the poorly lit dungeon. “A...a...re...w...we...f..friends?” Ming Yi started to coughing. His body rocked against the wall in uncontrollable fits. Those words sounded like the common remark of an old friend, but this man, whoever he was, was no friend of his.

What did he ever do to deserve this? Ming Yi had dwelled on these thoughts for so long and the simplest answer was the one that frightened him most of all. Nothing. There was no rhyme or reason. But Ming Yi was no one’s fool. The reason didn’t matter. He wanted to be free and in order to do that, he needed to stay healthy. He picked up the bowl and began to eat. His teeth ripped at the drumstick and shoveled the rice into his mouth. He was so hungry.

The other man watched him in silence. The hands sticky with warm rice pellets were still fleshy, though the bones were more pronounced. He was eating well then. He Xuan left without another word and when he passed the Waning Moon Officer above ground, he requested for Ming Yi to be given another meal after this one and additional meals from now on.

“Put it on my tab.”

“I understand. I will notify his Lordship about the change.”

After leaving Ghost City, he traveled to the location of the Earth Master’s itinerary. It was a small up and coming town. The county was still in the middle of building residences so the town did not have stable inhabitants yet. He didn’t understand the fuss. There was a few blueprints to be checked over, forest to be removed, but nothing out of the ordinary. He surveyed the land, focusing on the details as he walked around the edge of the deserted town.

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

He Xuan paused when he heard his personal communication array being activated. He had given his password to a single person.

“Ming-Xiong? Ming-Xiong? Are you there?”

“What is it?”

“One of the Junior Officials from Lingwen Zhenjun’s Palace told me that you’re in Hangzhou for a task.”

“I am.”

“Can I come too?”

“...”

Flipping through his papers, he continued to ignore the incoming messages. Shi Qingxuan descended to Jianggan District as lightly as a cloud with his cheeks puffed out in exasperation. He stomped over to the other official. He grabbed He Xuan by the shoulders and began to shake him. The Earth Master was as steady as a mountain. Seeing that he was continuing to be ignored, he used his most powerful weapon. His voice.

“DO NOT IGNORE ME! WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING ME! HEY! HEY!”

Finally, a reaction.

“...Are you done?”

“Why are you ignoring me?”

“If you want to come, you’re going to. Why do you bother asking permission?”

“Of course if you say ‘no’ I’m not.”

Shi Qingxuan allowed his hands to drop from the shoulders. The slender arms fell listlessly at his side. Not his usual cheerful self, he shuffled beside his peer while He Xuan checked his copies of the blueprints to building several shops.

Once the forest was removed, the area was flat enough that the foundations to those building could be set without difficulty. He wasn’t sure why the prayer cited concerns about the building. Although judging from the report, the concerns were vague.

There was a small lantern by the edge of the forest, glowing red. He walked closer to it. Written on the lantern in cursive calligraphy were the words “Return me home and all will be well.” He looked inside the lantern. There was no light, so how was it glowing? There seemed to be some sort of curse on it.

Lord Wind Master frowned. “What does it mean? ‘Return me home?’”

Just as the question was asked, the Lantern swayed in the direction of the forest. There was no wind. This was an enchanted Lantern. Shi Qingxuan tugged on He Xuan’s sleeve.

“Maybe we should get back-up first.”

“Are you scared?”

“N-no.”

The Wind Master tucked his fan into his waistband and pushed up his sleeves. He took exaggerated steps into the wooded area. He Xuan approached the area with caution. The trees all seemed to lean towards him, seeking him out.

Shi Qingxuan had lost a bit of his nerve. The branches curled towards him like searching arms. They ripped out their leaves and these glossy nail-beds drifted toward the white robed figure, falling against him gently. Through the forest, they heard a singing voice. Lovely and light. It came from all directions, but still seemed distant.

她是悠悠一抹斜阳 _She is a ray of setting sun_

多想多想 有谁懂得欣赏 _Longing for appreciation from someone_

他有蓝蓝一片云窗 _His skylight filled with blue_

只等只等 有人与之共享 _Waiting for someone to share it with_

Coming to a fork in the forest, they glanced at each path. The lantern lifted and pointed west.

Small spirits rose from the shallow hovels to hover at the sides of the path. Continuing on, they came to a clearing. Shi Qingxuan tripped. His hands flew out and lurched forward.

The lantern rolled on it side a few paces away. He Xuan held his shoulders steadfast. Then he bent down to examine what was protruding from the ground. Shoes? The entire clearing was embedded with shoes. The bodies had been eaten away, leaving only the footwear behind. Shoes were coated with tannic acid since the olden days, which had given them protection from decay.

Set high above on a tree top, silhouetted in front of the moon was a creature singing. It’s blood red lips curled into a smile as it gazed down at the two officials in it’s territory.

她是绵绵一段乐章 _She is a continuous melody_

多想有谁懂得吟唱 _Longing for someone to sing_

他有满满一目柔光 _His eyes filled with tenderness_

只等只等 有人为之绽放 _Just waiting for someone to gaze at_

She continued to sing several more verses which called forth the blinking eyes along the path. They were enchanted animals. The rotten bodies sauntered forth. Pieces of decaying tissue and maggot ridden organs clung to the bones. They spoke using the communication array.

“ _Don’t do it._ ” He warned Shi Qingxuan as he carefully tucked the other official behind him in case he already transformed.

“ _But I’m more powerful in that form.”_

“ _This kind of spirit was likely a jilted woman. So if it sees you in that form, its anger will rise considerably. Then it will kill us faster than you can blink.”_

“ _What’s our alternative? Dying slowly?”_

“ _Yeah.”_

“ _You don’t really mean that, do you?”_ Shi Qingxuan glanced anxiously at the rotting corpses coming closer. The stench was unbearable. He buried his face into the back of Ming Yi’s robe. It smelled of ink and agarwood incense.

“ _Did you bring warding talismans?”_

“ _Yeah.”_

“ _How many?”_

“ _200.”_

He Xuan tsked. 200 would only stall the corpses for about fifteen minutes. They would have to manage a coordinated attack to attack the main spirit in that time. At this caliber, with his abilities, taking care of this would be a mere fifteen seconds. But he wasn’t Ghost Supreme Black Water, he was simply Ming Yi. He knew the limits of the Earth Master’s abilities. Against this kind of enemy, victory would be hard won.

“ _When I give the cue, send out the talismans, got it?”_

“ _Okay.”_

Using his monk’s spade he summoned it so that he and Shi Qingxuan could stand on it. The talismans were thrown out as they faced the demonic siren head on. The Wind Master unfurled his spiritual device as he jumped down, whipping his fan to rip across the forest clearing. The immobilized corpses tore to pieces and the bones couldn’t withstand the force and scattered.

Turning as he landed on the ground, he saw the Earth Master wield his spade at the Siren in a speedy attack from all angles.

_Not fast enough._

Shi Qingxuan panicked and transformed into his female form. Catching sight of another woman churned the deep fury that carried this vengeful spirit in her final moments of mortal life. Wrenching the spade from He Xuan’s hands, she threw it down, attacking him with her claws with all might. Her power had magnified ten times.

_Damn that idiot,_ he thought as he blocked some of the blows. He allowed a few to hit him. If Ming Yi wasn’t injured during this, it would be suspicious. The Siren picked up her current opponent and threw him down in the forest. His body was rammed through several tree stumps before tumbling down to the ground.

Shi Qingxuan didn’t have any time to go fetch him, as the Siren launched an offensive immediately, aiming for the youthful face.

“Don’t you dare aim for my face!”

“Wretched Adulteress!”

_Ming-Xiong! Ming-Xiong, are you okay? Answer me._

_Ngh. F-focus..on yyou._

Hearing the weakness that He Xuan was faking in his voice distracted Shi Qingxuan and left the Wind Master open. The Siren had already determined it was going to take down this wretched adulteress down with her. So as it began to destroy it’s own core energy, it turned itself into a massive ball of destructive energy to hurl at Shi Qingxuan.

Even with the powers of the Wind God, there’s was no way he wouldn’t sustain significant damage from a final assault like this. If he got injured, Shi Wudu would put him under further lock and key, only allowing _capable_ people to associate with him from then on. But as he was, as the damnably useless Ming Yi, and with Shi Qingxuan still conscious, what could he do?

_No, I need answers!_

He Xuan rushed into the clearing and shot in between Shi Qingxuan and the destructive spiritual ball. He grabbed the youth and wrapped him in his arms. Frozen from the shock of the incoming attack, Shi Qingxuan had transformed back into his male form.

The destructive force blasted into He Xuan’s back and hit him from head to toe. He was taller than Shi Qingxuan and he tucked him into his embrace, absorbing the complete impact. When they going to crash into clearing, he turned their bodies so that he would hit the ground first. Spitting up blood, the splatters landed on the boy’s face and over the shoulders of his white robes.

“Ming-Xiong!!!!!!”

Shi Qingxuan looked at the clearing. The enemies had been defeated, but at what cost. He started to blubber and whimper. He shouted in the Heavenly Court Communication Array.

“ **SOMEONE COME HELP! MING-XIONG IS DYINGGGGGGGG!!!!”**

He continued to sit by the man’s side and cry uncontrollably. His closed fists thumped softy on He Xuan’s chest, causing him to spit up more blood.

“DON’T DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

_Why are you so pessimistic?? I’m already dead, anyway. Ow, geez why are you screaming? Are trying to make me deaf?? Your Shi family must have some grudge with me. God, my ears!_

“DON’T LEAVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

_What am I? Your Lover? Why are whining like this?_

“Stop! Stop! I’m not going to die. You think I’m easy to kill?”

Shi Qingxuan rubbed at his cheeks, smearing the tears on his palm. “You’re okay?”

“Yeah.”

“I knew you would be.”

“…” _That’s not what that sounded like._

“Help is coming.”

“Okay.”

“A-are you fine?” He Xuan weakly pointed at the other body. The youth nodded eagerly and took off his outer robe to cover the injured body. He searched his sleeves for healing ointments and poured the contents onto his hands. Gently he pressed the power onto the open wounds. The more superficial ones healed immediately.

Bits of the substance landed on the front of He Xuan’s clothes. He gathered the white powder and then pressed it on the minor cuts on Shi Qingxuan’s face and then at the long, delicate gash across his neck.

“Ming-Xiong...”

“Y-you said you were f-fine.”

“I am.” Shi Qingxuan’s lips trembled. He averted his eyes as he placed his hands over He Xuan’s and tried to lower them from the injured neck. He Xuan felt the gulp as he swallowed.

“D-don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying.”

Pei-Ming descended to the clearing. “Qingxuan, your brother is with Jun Wu. I told him I’d take care of it. What the hell happened here?”

“We got attacked by a Savage.”

“Fuck!” Pei Ming took one look at the Earth Master and winced. He was accustomed to seeing injuries on the battlefield. He knew how those kind of injuries felt, but he was a soldier. The Earth Master was just a regular commoner. He could imagine how badly those must have hurt for someone whose regular damage was a paper cut. He gestured for Shi Qingxuan to move out of the way.

Two junior officials from Pei Ming’s Palace placed the injured Earth Master on a cloth stretcher and carried him back to the Heavens. Pei Ming ordered a few other officers to oversee the area, to root out any remnants of negative spiritual beings. He turned to a sullen Shi Qingxuan.

“You’ll make sure the merits go to his palace right?”

“Of course.”

“When you go back to court, go to Lingwen. She’ll help you write up a report, got it?”

Pei Ming was surprised by Shi Qingxuan’s calm compliance. The Earth Master’s injury must have really shook him up. Quietly, he went back to the Heavenly Court and did as he was instructed. Even more than fearing his brother’s outrage, he feared that the Lord Earth Master, Ming Yi, no, Ming-Xiong might not want to be his friend again.

So, he avoided seeing him for several days. Lingwen found him huddled in his own palace sitting with his back against the wall. “I just came back from Earth Master’s Palace. I just finished recording his account of what happened. Why don’t you go see him?”

Shi Qingxuan shook his head. His face was hidden in his bent knees.

“Why not?”

“He got that injured because of me. Maybe he wouldn’t want to see me.”

“Have you considered that if he was willing to get that injured for you, then seeing you should be nothing. Just try. Bring him something.”

After Lingwen left, Shi Qingxuan’s face brightened. He hurried to the Earthly Realm to collect some items and then headed to the Earth Master’s Palace. Gifts in hand, he paused at the front door. Pooling all of the courage he had, he knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

The Earth Master Palace was not as fine as the other residences. All the furniture present were for pragmatic purposes and not excessively decorative. A bed was installed on the first floor to aid in the god’s recovery. He was propped up the daybed with several pillows, prioritizing the prayers from his temple.

Papers that had already been completed were tucked away on a shelf near the wall. There was a low scholar’s table. There was a pile of snacks piled high on the surface and the Earth Master was shoving large handfuls into his mouth as he looked over the paperwork. Mid-bite, he looked at his visitor.

Shi Qingxuan found two more medium sized tables and hauled them over to the bedside. The table legs made an ear splitting screech being dragged across the floor. Then he bought out the qiankun pouch and unloaded all the goods that he had brought from Earthly realms.

Pan-baked Pork Fillet from Tianjun,

Minced Donkey meat in flour from Hebei,

Fried Boiled Pork with Black Fungus from Shanxi,

Northern Style Boiled Lamb,

Steamed Whitefish from Jilin,

Braised Pork with Vermicelli from Liaoning,

Braised Pork Belly from Shencheng,

Stewed Pork Balls in Brown Sauce from Jiangsu,

The Wind Master paused and called out in the communication array. “I’ll give anyone a million merits if you get me three tables in Lord Earth Master’s Palace in the next five minutes.” The tables were delivered in two and the million merits paid before He Xuan could blink. Shi Qingxuan continued on with his task after the tables were set down.

West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce from Zhejiang,

Buddha Jumps over the Wall Soup from Fujian,

Mianyang Three Steamed Dishes from Hubei,

White Cut Chicken from Guangdong,

Rice Noodles with Snails from Guangxi.

Spicy Mapo Tofu from Sichuan,

Sesame Red Pepper Chicken from Chongqing,

Fish in Sour Soup from Guizhou,

Crossing Bridge Noodles from Yuunan,

Soft Bread soaked in Lamb Soup from Shaanxi,

Stir-Fried Dough Slices with Mutton from Qinghai,

Hexi Lamb in Earthen Pot from Gansu,

Once the main courses were laid out, Shi Qingxuan proceed to tuck that qiankun pouch away and took out another one. He Xuan continued to work. He had considered telling him to stop, but he had almost finished all the snacks piled by his bed.

Desserts next.

Almond Biscuits, Bakpia, Banana Rolls, Steamed Buns, Beef Buns, Chicken Buns, Coconut Buns, Taro Buns, Ham and Egg Bun…

_Why so many buns?_ He Xuan wondered. _Did he just order every bun available??_

Then a long row of candied treats…

Before He Xuan had even asked, Shi Qingxuan placed a package of pearl candies in his palm. He Xuan eyed him with masked suspicion. The youth pulled up a stool to sit by his bed side. He unfurled his fan to waved it at his loosened robes.

“Whew, I am sweaty. That was hard. What do you want first?”

The young man was tempted to ask for the Soft Bread soaked in Lamb Soup, but Shaanxi was Black Water’s hometown, not Ming Yi’s. He glanced at Stir-Fried Dough Slices with Mutton. Shi Qingxuan smiled and bought him the dish immediately.

“I knew you’d miss your hometown, so I went and got this. Here.” Shi Qingxuan held up the spoon to his mouth.

“I can feed myself. Don’t try unless you want to lose fingers.”

“I suppose you’re right. Feeding you would be hard labor anyway.”

“Right and you don’t do hard labor, do you?”

“Not always. What do you call all this if not hard labor?”

He Xuan put his papers down on the shelf. He picked up the bowl and weaved his chopsticks into emptying the contents. Once down, he passed it back and requested Buddha Jumps over the Wall.

“I heard about this dish. Is this made with Jinhua Ham?”

The youth nodded. “I heard about it too. How is it?”

“Haven’t you ever eaten it before?”

“Nope.”

“Come here.”

Shi Qingxuan leaned over and stared at the Earth Master’s face.

“Open your mouth. I’ll give you some.”

“No, that’s okay. This is all for you.”

“Is it because I’ve already used the chopsticks?”

“What? No. I just want you to have all this food.”

“I want to share.”

“No, no. All for you.”

“If you don’t take this bite, I’m going to think it’s because I ate off the chopsticks. Open your mouth.”

Shi Qingxuan opened his mouth and thin dough slices were placed in it. As he chewed, he nodded his hand in thought.

“It’s good.”

“You get one bite. That’s all.”

“You said, ‘I want to share’.”

“I _shared_ one bite.”

He Xuan continued eating and ate several more dishes before requesting the dish from his native hometown. For each dish he gave Shi Qingxuan one bite, but this one was different. He shared half. He had only had this meal once in his mortal life, but he always remembered the scent. Several centuries ago, they had met once in their mortal lives and eaten this same meal. He lifted the spoon to his mouth and blew on it and then fed the youth. His eyes lingered on the rosy parted lips, the carmine colored tongue soaked in juices from the stew.

Shi Qingxuan had ascended shortly after their meeting. He had stayed young and innocent while He Xuan had met with misfortune and died. A curious thought emerged and though it was too dangerous to ask, he felt the compulsion to do so anyway.

“Do you remember everyone you’ve ever helped?”

The mouth was still chewing on a bit of crumbly bread. The lashes fluttered and the full lips thinned into a line. They stared at one another and in spite of risk, He Xuan willed him with his eyes.

_Remember me. Remember the me from then. Remember us._

“...I don’t. Is that bad?”

All these years, even before realizing that the young girl with the pouch and Young Master Xiao were one and the same, he had spent centuries thinking of them. He Xuan swallowed the bitter pill and schooled his expression.

“Not at all. I was just curious. Have you ever thought about what happens to people after you helped them? If they’re alright?”

The youth looked down and then glanced up, his lips parted about to answer. He Xuan stuffed another spoonful of mutton into his mouth. Then he ate a bite himself. They chewed while staring at one another.

“Well, I--”

Another biteful. More chewing.

“I think--”

Another spoonful.

“Ming-Xiong!”

Two mouthfuls.

_Oh! Look! A finished bowl. Next Plate. Crossing Bridge Noodles from Yunnan._

Shi Qingxuan scooted his chair back to where the Earth Master’s arm couldn’t reach. He wanted to answer.

“Truth is...I never really thought about it. I suppose I was always rushing to help the next person and the next. I had always said I wanted to help others to the end. But I suppose that in spite of saying that, I haven’t. But, to all those people I helped before, I want them to live good, happy lives and if they come back and I have the opportunity to help them again, I will.”

“What if they ask you to do something that will make you unhappy?”

“There’s not much that makes me unhappy. I suppose I don’t like it when someone cuts my face, but if someone does that, they’re not good people then, so I don’t have to worry about that.”

“What if it becomes the single cup of water scenario? Where there’s only one, but there’s two people? What will you do then?”

“Half of each.” He replied, “And if that’s not enough, then give all to one and carry the other to find more.”

“That’s dumb.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re so light. You can’t carry anyone.”

The Wind Master stared at him for a moment. _You’re so light._ This description of him and the sight of the Earth Master in his black robes, eating the scholarly ‘Crossing Bridge Noodles’, it felt...familiar. But the bridge in Shi Qingxuan’s mind remained unfinished unlike the one feeding his famished friend.

“Do you want some?”

Shi Qingxuan scooted his chair back and was fed a mouthful.

“Why do you call me ‘Xiong’? I ascended after you.”

“You’re physically older than me.”

“I was born the 22th year of Xia, so wouldn’t I be younger?”

“Wait, it’s true, I was born the 16th year of Yu, but I look younger than you and I’m shorter too. Besides...”

As the youth rambled, He Xuan debated the merits of being addressed as the elder when he was clearly the younger. But while his mouth ate and talked, his mind was busy. He had it. The birth date. There was no way Shi Qingxuan wouldn’t remember his own birthday. They shared the same name and birth date.

Shi Qingxuan massaged his mouth. He was getting tired of all the talking and eating. He declined any more food and just watched the other continuously eat. Speaking of birthdays, Ming Yi’s was coming up soon. He made plans in his head on how to celebrate, becoming excited about the ideas.

Suddenly he was overcome with exhaustion. He had run all over the Earthly Realm to collect those dishes and treats. He had spent days mulling in guilt at causing the others’ injuries. He peered at a Divan on the other side of the room and asked to borrow it. Maybe he’d try sleeping like Qi Ying always did.

Unconsciously he activated the Earth Master’s communication array.

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

_Without Lips, the Teeth become Cold._

He curled up on the divan. He Xuan had gotten off his day bed and hobbled over to the sleeping youth. Shi Qingxuan blinked at him as his Ming-Xiong unfolded a silk blanket over his body. His eyelids grew heavy. The beautiful hands tucked in the ends and lifted his head up to place a pillow underneath.

“ _Ming-Xiong, I’m so tired...”_

“ _I know.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Proverb  
> https://ancientchengyu.com/lips-gone-teeth-cold/
> 
> 黄龄 - 痒  
> Traditional Version (The one heard in the forest)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AeaL8QT5Ys
> 
> Original Song  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fw9-_a9xoE
> 
> He Xuan is from Fugu, Shaanxi. (Canon)  
> Shi Clan is from Luoyang, Henan  
> Ming Yi is from Xining, Qinghai.
> 
> Food  
> https://www.chinawhisper.com/34-iconic-chinese-province-foods/  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_desserts  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing-the-bridge_noodles
> 
> Shaanxi Dish Video  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-1FolWnOo4


	11. Dragon marries the Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan takes the place of a groom during a wedding.

**Maddening**

As per usual, Lingwen was languishing behind a stash of papers, writing rapidly with the accuracy of a dedicated professional. Next to her at another desk was another not so usual sight. Lord Water Master was monitoring the accounts of several temple offerings in an attempt to offset Lingwen’s workload in dealing with the recent matter of the Savage attack in Zhejiang.

Dragging the heels of leather boots, Pei Ming sauntered in with the casual air of a regular guest. Finding his two friends attacking the paperwork with the precision and rigor of a general and deputy, he pulled up a stool and sat across from them.

The jeweled guan in Shi Wudu’s hair tipped forward in sync with his thin, delicate fingers. The holding position of his brush was elegant adding charm to the faultless posture. He wrote at a slower pace than Lingwen and his writing had the poetic script emblematic of noblemen.

“Are you just going to just sit there?” Shi Wudu’s eyes lifted for a brief moment to address the General whose arms had crossed over his chest and made no motion to move.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t bother with Old Pei. Even though he’s from a wealthy clan, after centuries of writing nothing but battle formations and strategies, it’s hideous. It why he rarely write love letters.”

“Hey, Lingwen, there’s no need to air my dirty laundry. Besides, why write them when they can be heard from my mouth. Words are sweeter when spoken, flowing fuller by the current of emotion when sang?”

“You sing?”

“Lingwen, you tell Lord Water Master Xiong of my bad attributes, but not of my good ones. Of course I sing.”

“Like a thousand year old fox demon luring naive maidens to their ruin.” Lingwen snorted, but as she continued her paperwork, her brow furrowed. Both men noticed this. Shi Wudu had finished his paperwork and came to stand by her desk.

“Speaking of ruinous demons, I traced the lineage of the Zhejiang Savage and it seems she came from an affluent family. The Shen. They have multiple branches across all the provinces, but they seem predominant in the North and East.”

“Shen Clan? Would this be the Shen Clan that originated in Luoyang?”

“You know of them?”

“When I was mortal, this was one of our rivals. They were just starting out then. What’s strange?”

“Well, it seems that most of the Shen Clan dabble in respectable businesses, but there is one branch that doesn’t.”

“Ha,” Pei Ming laughed, “there’s always a horse that spoils the whole herd.”

Lingwen placed her finger on a certain passage. “It seems that the this branch traditionally supports Wind and Water Temples. But there is one account of a servant from a century before that left the household, ranting and raving that Shen Family worships Demons and Evil entities and their wealth was based on this worship.”

“Hangzhou is in a vital location to the Yangtze River. It makes sense that they would rely on worshiping the Wind and Water Temples.” Pei Ming answered. Along with Shi Wudu, they read the notes in silence.

_...arrested and taken to local yamen where she swore on her ancestors’ spirits that the Shen Family worshiped a glowing green ghost that demanded regular sacrifices especially those of fair, lovely young women and children._

“Ah, this might have something to deal with _that guy_ . _”_

All three Heavenly Official wore an expression of dismay. “Is there is any other accounts? Does it have any credence?”

“Possibly.” Lingwen added. “I wouldn’t be surprised. Crimson Rain Sought Flower has quite a few followers of his own in the Mortal Realm. Though it seems unlikely that Night Touring Green Lantern would actually ally himself with mortals for this type of gain, it’s still not altogether impossible.”

“We’ll send a few juniors to check it out.”

The juniors sent did not find anything amiss in regards to the Shen Clan, so the mission was closed and filed aside. The Heavenly Court had prayers to answer, donations to be collected, temples to be erected, appearances to keep up in the Heavens, and building Golden Palaces. Someone else could take care of Night Touring Green Lantern.

In the meantime, He Xuan had used the same Junior in Lingwen’s palace to read the finished report. Curiosity struck him and he decided he wanted to see for himself if the Shen Clan really had such dubious practices. He descended in disguise, leaving a clone of himself to monitor the buildings of a completely separate section of the region. Shi Qingxuan was also out, being entertained by some of the other officials.

After a few days of careful observation, He Xuan noticed that the servants were not allowed in certain quarters of the residential quarters. There was also a wedding underway. Listening to the gossip of those around him, Young Lord Shen was going to marry a common girl. There was rumors that the girl had been unwilling, but her family was in a huge debt and sold her to the Shen Clan.

When He Xuan visited the household, he saw that the girl strongly resembled the former Zhu Yingtai. Thus, he was not surprised when the Shen’s Young Lord finally arrived at the manor and he resembled none other than Liang Shanbo.

He wanted access to those quarters. On the morning of the wedding ceremony, after mastering Liang Shanbo’s mannerisms, he disposed of the young lord and transported the body by magical array elsewhere.

He donned the groom’s robes and would knock out the bride, and then venture to the forbidden quarters. That was his plan. As he placed the Groom cap on, he ran a hand over the cap and then the red robes. All men were allowed to wear 9th rank officer robes on their wedding days. A strange compulsion overcame him and he transformed to his real form.

Gazing in the mirror, he thought to himself. Wasn’t this the life he was supposed to have. He took out the black pouch with silver waves. He pushed these thoughts aside and focused on the manner at hand. He turned away from the mirror and flipped the doors open. Down in front of the altar in the Grand Hall, he took his place as the groom.

_What shit luck!_ He thought. Along with the regular offerings, ancestor tablets to oversee the wedding ceremony, there was also a statue of the Wind and Water Gods. In order to get through the ceremony, he would have to bow to the statues. He solemnly swore to return the favor when the occasion arose.

Outside of the mansion, there was the clamor of the bridal procession having just arrived. The double doors were wide open. From the distance, He Xuan could see the faint silhouette of several figures in red.

**The Bride Arrives!**

Guiding the bride’s arm, an elderly woman helped her over the threshold. He had observed Zhu Yingtai only for a few short moments so he couldn’t ascertain if perhaps this was unusual, but the bride’s steps were light, almost as though she was treading on clouds. Different from what he had observed before.

The bride was given the other half of the marital ribbon to to hold. The veil was opaque, so he couldn’t make out the features. The wedding dress was grand with gold threaded phoenixes and peonies and floating clouds.

**First Bow to the Heavens**

They turned and bowed to the open doors. He Xuan tried to calculate whether or not he should order a clone to go and knock out the bride for him when she was taken to the Wedding Chamber. He gritted his teeth for the next bow.

**Second Bow to the Relatives**

Together they bowed to Shen Matriarch and Patriach, and the Wind and Water Gods statues. He tried to glimpse under the veil as the bride bowed, but the veil was too thick to see through.

**Third Bow to the Spouse**

The Bride and Groom faced one another and bowed solemnly. It was then that he noticed a particular jade bracelet on the bride’s wrist. Zhu Yingtai wore no such thing, but he knew one person who did. As if his luck wasn’t bad enough with having to bow to the statues of Wind and Water Gods. It was enough to make him think that the digestion of the Reverend made one’s luck worse.

Just then, a gust of wind blew through the Grand Hall. Laughter erupted from all around them as the sky darkened. The doors were locked.

“It is I, Your Great-Great Grand Ancestor! Why didn’t you invite me? I am not very happy about this!”

He Xuan acted quickly and hit the bride on the back of the neck and threw her over his shoulder. Guests, servants, and relatives alike were running and screaming all over the manor, allowing them to be lost in the chaos.

The Groom was able to escape with the Bride in tow out of the manor and up the mountain to safety. As He Xuan gazed from the cliff above, the manor was glowing with green light. He supposed that answered the question of whether or not Night Touring Green Lantern was involved with that branch of the Shen Family. He climbed far up into the mountain and finding a long flat rock, he placed the bride on it. The veil had gotten caught on the phoenix coronet and rested over the face.

First he held up the wrist and gazed at the Jade Bracelet. There was no mistaking it. This was was a rare gift from his brother, the Lord Water Master. He Xuan grasped at the edge of the veil and pulled. Shi Qingxuan had transformed from his prior female form to his male and lay on the flat rock.

He groaned from the pain in his neck. “Ow, that hurts.” He complained, but he did not open his eyes.

_Serves you right for not minding your_ _own_ _damned business._ He Xuan had hit him with the power of Black Water Demon Xuan and not Ming Yi.

Thinking he was about to wake up, He Xuan reared his hand back to strike, but Shi Qingxuan’s wince softened and he lost consciousness again.

HeXuan realized he needed to escape, so he ventured further up the mountain. He couldn’t risk a magical array being found on the mountain during the investigation. He disrobed and burnt them to ashes.

In regular black robes, he used a rare path to cross into the village and go to the region where his clone was. Swapping places, he disguised his clone as a regular commoner so that it could be used to spy on the happenings during and after the disastrous Shen Wedding.

As he had expected, Heavenly Officials caught wind of the Night Touring Green Lantern’s rampage in Hangzhou and dispatched several Martial Gods to take care of it. Namely one Quan Yizhen who appeared to cause more damage than was necessary.

Shi Qingxuan had wanted to help, but was told by Pei Ming to go back to the Heavenly Court lest he caused his brother worry. Stomping away in his bright red wedding dress, he promised to go back to the Heavens immediately, but not before he made a sidetrip to find Ming Yi and dragged him back to the Heavens with him.

“Ming-Xiong! It hurts so much! Why did he hit me?”

“Probably because you weren’t his real bride.”

“But I had on a veil. How could he tell? And I know he’s villain for trying to force her to marry him, but I didn’t think he would hurt her. It’s a good thing that I came across her during my walk in Hangzhou. She was crying up such a storm. How could I not help her? I bet her and her real fiancee have crossed the seas and started a new life elsewhere.”

Hearing the supposed happy fate, He Xuan’s hand gripped into a fist tighter. Supposition was the belief of naive fools. Shi Qingxuan sat on the floor of the Earth Master Palace, with the skirt of the wedding dress flaring all around him. Suddenly, he lifted his skirt up and peeked at the shoes. He admired the quality.

“It’s really pretty, isn’t it? If I ever got married I would have like peonies on my mine.”

“Really? Are you forgetting that you would be the groom?”

“Groom’s clothes are SO PLAIN. This is so much better. Regardless of what the Shen Clan was really like, they had good taste. I mean look at this Phoenix Coronet. The detail on the feathers. It really looks like a golden bird that could take flight at any moment.”

Shi Qingxuan jumped up and pointed the headdress to show the disinterested peer. When he turned away, Shi Qingxuan turned him back. He almost accidentally hit Ming Yi on the head with the beak of the phoenix.

“I see it. I see it. Enough. Fine, what else do you want me to see?”

“The shoes.”

Sitting at opposite ends of a bench, Shi Qingxuan propped a foot up towards his friend’s chest. His peer glanced at the outstretch foot and he knew he couldn’t escape from examining the shoe in detail.

“Why can’t you just give me the shoe?”

The foot waggled in front of his chest. Then Shi Qingxuan placed both feet up, but as he did so, he started to lose balance and fall backward. He Xuan grabbed his hands and pulled him back up. But he had pulled too hard and Shi Qingxuan flew forward. They were both sent flying into the air and landed on the ground with a thud.

Shi Qingxuan’s lips found his. He Xuan’s hands rested on the small of Shi Qingxuan’s back and with their chests pressed together, he could hear the rapid beating of the other heart against him. The scent of a sandalwood and peonies accompanied the full buds caressing his own mouth. Without either of them realizing it, He Xuan had lifted his head upward and tilted his face to lean into the pleasant sensation.

Opening his eyes, Shi Qingxuan raised his head immediately. He glanced at the calm expression on his friend’s face and was somewhat embarrassed by his own shocked reaction. He scrambled to get off Ming Yi, only to have touched inappropriate places on the other body in the process of doing so. Sitting with his knees hugged to his own body, Shi Qingxuan stared at the body of the Earth Master still lying on the floor as if his soul had left.

“Ming-Xiong...I’m sorry. It wasn’t on purpose...” He said weakly.

_S_ _hit luck… Ever since he met Shi Qingxuan…_ Knowing he need to rise to keep up appearances, He Xuan sat up and asked. “Are you trying to get me killed?”

“What?! No! Why would you think that?”

“Your brother isn’t going to like this.”

“What?! Oh, that, don’t worry about it. I accidentally kissed you, not the other way. Besides, it’s not like it’s either of our first kisses, right?”

“...”

“OHMYGOD! MING-XIONG!!! I’M SO SORRY. I didn’t know you were a kiss virgin!!”

“...”

“Oh shoot! I’m sorry I was so loud. But really, was it your first one? It’s too bad I wasn’t in my female form. Maybe that would have been less traumatizing.”

“You’ve been kissed before? How did your brother handle that?”

“Ah, my mother did that when I was baby.”

“...”

“What? Why are you staring at me? My brother can’t get mad at my mother for doing that. I heard that I was the considered the prettiest baby when I was born. That if there was a pageant held in Luoyang at the time of my birth, I would have won first place. Now that I think about it, if you don’t remember you first kiss, does that count?”

“...”

The young boy lapsed into silence as he turned to look at his feet. His fingers touched the gold tread feathers decorating the satin slippers. His eyes remained fixed on touching them as though he wanted to cry. Sensing the strange mood, He Xuan got up and dusted off his robes. He held out his hand and helped the boy up. The solemn expression was still on his face.

“Ming-Xiong?”

“What is it?”

“I want to go to Luoyang and see my parents’s grave. Will you go with me?”

He Xuan had his back turned, but he asked. “Will your brother go?”

“No, not really. Jun Wu said that once people ascend, they should forget about their pasts. Besides he knows that I go often enough for the both of us. I just wanted to see them, all of a sudden. That’s all. I was thinking I could show you around afterwards. You don’t have to go. Forget I asked.”

“I’ll go.”

“Huh?”

“I said I’ll go with you.”

Shi Qingxuan stared as Ming Yi turned around and then rushed up to him to grasp his hands. “This is why you’re my best friend! You have the face of a sour pickle, but you always come through for me! I’ll see you in three days, okay?”

“T-three days?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I thought maybe you were going to go tomorrow or something. That’s fine. I’ll be ready by then.”

Shi Qingxuan laughed and then decided he need to get back to his palace before his brother saw him in the wedding robes and started scolding him. He would be scolded no matter what matter, but at least he wouldn’t aggravate his brother more.

He Xuan watched his guest bound out the doors and chewed on his cheek. Three days after the wedding was the traditional custom of a bride returning home to see her family. Chances were that the wedding ceremony and seeing the parents and relatives gathered for the occasion probably made Shi Qingxuan homesick. Likely he thought nothing of asking _Ming Yi_ to go with with him, because Ming Yi had been in a separate region and was not the groom.

As contemplation on visiting Shi Qingxuan’s hometown settled, he started to feel homesick too. He Xuan left a clone of himself in the Earthly Realm during a mission, so that he could go back to the Nether Water Manor.

Entering the Manor through the transportation array, he quickly peeked out the window and saw the Arowanas had been well-cared for by Hua Cheng’s minions. The skeletal fishes’ head popped up as if they sensed his arrival and were welcoming him home.

The Iron Prison inhabitants had been sparingly fed and mumbled nonsense. One glanced up and was scratching at the sores on his face. Tang Wei’s most recent incarnation had been exceptionally cruel.

His sister’s was not much better, but she died earlier while the younger continued to live, being passed from brothel to brothel. Eventually, the boy developed madness and was thrown out on the street. He passed into forest in Fugu and He Xuan bought him back with him to add to his collection of miserable dwellers.

Passing through the complex corridors that he had built like a maze which he had added after the wealth of knowledge gained from Ming Yi, he thought that perhaps he should go see the fallen official in Hua Cheng’s Dungeon. No, best not. Perhaps another time.

He passed into the highest room within the tower. The chamber was sparse with only an altar in it. The four urns rested on the smooth, black shelf where he had left them. He cleaned it diligently and then lit a few incense sticks for them.

He knelt down and stared up at the urns and sighed. Seeing Tang Wei made him wonder if any of his family had already incarnated and were living their lives. He hoped that they were living them peacefully if that was so. But that would seem like the supposition of naive fools.

He believed that in their deaths, the spirits would only rest in peace once a sacrifice was made. A proper sacrifice as befitting the ones that they suffered. His eyes moved to Yuan Yu’s urn and kowtowed in apology for the happening earlier that day. A few fingers ran over his mouth. His fingers resembled the pressure and the scent of Shi Qingxuan had mingled into his clothes. The sensation lingered and closing his eyes, he could envision the scene as though it was occurring in the present.

Bitterness blanketed his body in an icy cool grip. But he supposed that perhaps once the truth revealed itself, Shi Qingxuan would feel the same level of bitterness he felt now. Would he look on this day differently then?

He smiled to himself as he imagined the shock. But another thought plagued him that made the bitterness weigh heavier, a good portion of it’s weight was guilt. In spite of having a face similar to the enemy that had caused his family’s ill fates, He Xuan was able to distinguish the two. So different were the brothers, that they were as different as night and day. Different enough that he began to have thoughts of sparing one and not the other.

But only on one condition.

He Xuan stayed on his knees, staring up at the urns. Like how Ming Yi must have done when reviewing building plans, he examined the foundation of his design, factoring in anomalies, possible detours, and finally the condition again.

When he met up with Shi Qingxuan three days later, as the boy beamed at him, that _condition_ became fixed in his mind. Doubt crept into his thoughts as the boy chattered on and on as to whether or not Shi Qingxuan would be able to meet that condition.

He pushed the nagging feeling of doubt away. There was no other choice. There would be no Third Path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time Skip  
> *****************  
> There will be a time-skip. The next chapter is straight to Chapter 124 at Nether Water.  
> ****************  
> Wedding Robes  
> Groom  
> https://www.newhanfu.com/2955.html
> 
> Bride  
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32896029333.html
> 
> https://ziseviolet.tumblr.com/tagged/mens-headwear
> 
> Wedding Altar  
> https://medium.com/@rachel_82473/chinese-wedding-wedding-procedures-costumes-gifts-h%C5%ABnl%C7%90-662cadd36a82
> 
> Pei Ming “Horse” Proverb  
> http://tcfl.tingroom.com/2014/11/5829.html


	12. Water Tyrant vs Black Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shi Wudu's final thoughts during the Nether Water Manor Confrontation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time Skip  
> *****************  
> This is a time-skip. This is Chapter 124 at Nether Water Manor.  
> The chapters skipped are 106-123. Those are available @ https://tgcfmxtx.carrd.co  
> Disclaimer:  
> Majority of all Spoken Chapter Dialogue is transcribed from Yummy Suika Translations at the above link.  
> ****************<

**The Third Path**

Black Island’s dense forests shrouded the three beings in darkness. Black Water tread through the overgrown grass along the shore towards his lair. He descended into the water’s steel surface. Reaching the lowest floor, he glanced at the path stretching up before. After this, there was no turning back.

He made the slow ascent up the stairs of the lair. He yanked the Water Tyrant up the stones and threw his body with such an enraged harshness that it surprised him. Then allowing the youth to slide from over his shoulder, he held Shi Qingxuan against him.

Years of physical distance from others with only him as the sole companion had created a sort of casual intimacy. So effortless, it felt as natural as breathing.  In moments like the current one, Black Water remembered the weight of another living human. 

As a common mortal, the Lord Wind Master’s  weight was different. It carried the newfound vulnerability of a freshly hatched chick.  His hand lingered on the back and he softly guided the unconscious boy to the wall and shackled each limb with the painstaking  effort trying not to stir him from his slumber. 

_Let him sleep for now. The nightmare can wait._

The moonlight that illuminated the chambers was through the barred window. The light provided clarity for two-thirds of the room and shrouded the rest in darkness. The unseen walls shifted and tumbled forth in a massive wave of crawling limbs. With closer observance, these beings were neither demons or ghosts. They were barely human, retaining the structure of the form, and none of the faculties. 

The creatures swarmed around Shi Wudu with persistent kneading, pressing, and caressing. With the little strength he had left, he tried to  push them off, but it was futile.  He was outnumbered. Two beings hugged his waist. One had a firm grasp on his hair, poking at the decorative guan, and another kissed the jade-like fingers. Disgusted, he grasped his hands into fists  in order not  to allow it any further access. 

Passively standing next to the altar, Black Water approached the horde. Fearful, the beings dispersed and made for the unconscious boy. Anger flashed in Shi Wudu’s eyes and he ripped one back. “You dare!” This single action and the fury in his voice kept the rest at bay.

Outraged, Shi Wudu rose to pull the madmen off, but was yanked and thrown back. His threat had visibly shaken some of the grimy creatures and they were reluctant to approach Shi Qingxuan again.

Black Water stomped on his back, forcing  him to kneel. “You are not the Master here.” Seeing that the genuine Master was preoccupied, they surrounded Shi Qingxuan, poking, pulling, and pinching.

“You are not the Master here.”

Seeing that the genuine Master of Nether Water Manor had subdued this new threat and was otherwise preoccupied, the interest in the unconscious boy was renewed and they gathered around him. His brother had not awakened yet and so Black Water entertained his guest with the histories of some of the mad men.

He had called forth Tang Wei. With a hand tucked beneath the chin, he spoke leisurely of the young man’s fate.

“Quite beautiful once. Was raised in the honey of tender meat just like your brother. Until he decided that he would rather ruin his face and body than ever be looked at again. Look at what he did to himself. Horrifying, isn’t it?”

Shi Wudu bit the insides of his cheeks and remained silent. He listened to the other tales, wondering why Black Water kept this filthy assortment of living humans trapped in this place. Was it for his own personal amusement? Did he enjoy seeing others turn out as miserable as he did?

Was it that he couldn’t stand for others to be happy? All the while, did he stay by Qingxuan’s side, storing his hatred and masking it in the pretense of being a friend. And yet something was off in these calculations that Shi Wudu made in his head.

A slight clank of the chains rattled as his brother woke up. “Qingxuan!” He shouted but he could not reach him and was forced to continue kneeling before the altar like a devoted temple worshiper. He kowtowed repeatedly before the urns, was kicked, stomped, and humiliated.

As long as Qingxuan was fine, he would endure it. There was no storm, fire, or misery he wouldn’t endure if it meant that his brother was safe. Keep Black Water’s attention on you. But a soft ‘Ge...” tumbled from Qingxuan’s lips.

“YOU BE QUIET!”

Black Water glanced between the brothers and Shi Wudu felt the pressure on his head lighten. Slowly, the black boots took steps toward Qingxuan. The madmen left and came back to Shi Wudu. Black Water bent down to see Qingxuan, face to face, eye to eye.

“Is the Reverend of Empty Words scary?”

Qingxuan couldn’t answer. So, Shi Wudu spoke for him. “He Xuan. A man must answer for what he has done alone. It was my idea to use you to prevent his misfortune. This has nothing to do with my little brother.”

_Little brother,_ He Xuan thought. _Was Shi Qingxuan still little? Didn’t he make his own decisions? But he supposed that to a man like the Water Tyrant, Shi Qingxuan would always be little._

“Nothing to do with him? Your little brother, an ordinary, common mortal, obtained the ability to ascend. His endless glory was robbed from my fate, plundered from my divinity.” He Xuan whipped his head back to stare at the kneeling man. “And you tell me this has nothing to do with him?”

Uncertainty flickered in Shi Wudu’s eyes. He had observed earlier the gentleness in which Black Water had held Qingxuan and thought that perhaps there was a chance, a small chance, but one nevertheless that he could forgive Qingxuan.

“Since...you’ve always been by his side, then you should know very well that I didn’t deceive you. He’s not one to hide anything, he really didn’t know anything about this!”

The rise in Shi Wudu’s voice was evident. He was growing desperate. With each passing minute, he was losing confidence that even Qingxuan could sway even the most cold-hearted to his side. Black Water had already existed in a bottomless abyss and the purest light couldn’t reach him there.

“THAT’S PRECISELY WHY HE’S SO CONTEMPTIBLE! WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO KNOW NOTHING!”

Black Water was shouting at them from the abyss. It wasn’t clear who he was speaking to. It was if he was shouting to Heavens bemoaning his fate like some hapless mortal caught in a storm, without an oar, unable to withstand the directionless situation.

Shi Wudu had caused many of those fates among mortals in his reign as Lord Water Master. He had denied them passage. If he did not desire it, did not deem them worthy, those beings did not cross.

“Ge...”

“SHUT UP!” Black Water pointed at Qingxuan. “I’ve given you chances.”

From his position on the ground, Shi Wudu saw the agitation of the black boots walking back and forth. With every spoken word, Qingxuan seem to stir something within Black Water Demon Xuan. Whether it was an ‘I’m sorry’ ‘I know it’s futile, but I...” Every glance back at the pale, innocent face made the Master of Nether Manor restless.

_If he wanted to kill them, why hadn’t he done so?_ Shi Wudu wondered. He glanced at his brother whose eyes stayed focused on his former friend. _Was it because he can’t?_

Black Water had calmed down. “But you what? You know it’s futile, but you still want to express your utmost sincerity, hoping you can move me, that I will let go of this grudge and dissolve this resentment?”

Shi Wudu closed his eyes. Other than himself, it seemed that Black Water knew Qingxuan too well. In spite of stammering that this was not his intention, at least not consciously so, it was. Black Water had calmed, but the behind the cool expression was a fire of burning ice that threatened to burn Qingxuan as he continued to needle at him. The longer the focus on Qingxuan, the greater the danger.

“HE XUAN! The offender is me, it’s the Reverend of Empty Words. Qingxuan’s sin does not deserve death, you...” _Would he really do it? Would he really kill Qingxuan?_

“And who in my family has sinned? Who in my family deserved death?”

Shi Wudu glanced back upward at the urns. Each one took on an importance  unlike before. The images of his own family in Acacia Manor overlapped. Those happy days with Qingxuan on sitting on their father’s shoulders, their mother tucking them to bed, singing. The sight of those black, lifeless urns contrasted sharply with the lively, vivid memories. 

Black Water turned to Qingxuan. “Go on. Tell me. Are you willing?”

“...I am.”

Black Water pointed at the horde of grimy creatures around Qingxuan. His voice took on an iciness that chilled Shi Wudu to the very fiber of his being. If he felt this way, Qingxuan must have felt the fear multiplied.

“Do you know who these people are?” He asked. “Vile fates. Sordid fortunes. Lives lower than beasts. Fates that can drive a man mad.” Black Water stood between them with his hands gripped into fists. Both brothers held their breath as Black Water Demon Xuan continued in the direction of Shi Wudu.

“Now I give you two options. Option one. You, pick one from this crowd and exchange your brother’s fate with them. Then, make yourself disappear in the mortal realm. Since you enjoy switching fates so much, you must be quite skilled at it. No need for me to teach you.”

Shi Wudu stared at each of the grimy creatures. He had memorized the stories and could not distinguish which fates belonged to whom. He only knew one for sure. This one had his face by Qingxuan’s. It was the one that Black Water had called ‘Tang Wei’.

_No, this was not an option._ Shi Wudu’s hands gripped into fists by his bowed head. “And the second option?”

Black Water’s eyes narrowed in Qingxuan’s direction. “The second option. You. I won’t touch your fate. But here, in this place, chop off your brother’s head for me.”

He Xuan threw the dull sword onto the floor. Shi Wudu wanted to laugh, but kept himself in check. So, that’s why he kept them alive for so long? It was then, he knew for sure, that this second option was meant to test Qingxuan’s loyalty. Did Black Water really think that Qingxuan would chose him? Wasn’t it obvious that he wouldn’t?

Shi Wudu rose to take the sword. “...I’ll end myself. Let me do it myself.”

“You’ve no right to bargain with me.”

_Only Qingxuan had the right?_ The image of his brother being held by Black Water took on a renewed significance. He stared at the young, innocent face. Qingxuan didn’t realize it.

“I choose the second option.”

“Why the second option? Can we both not live? Ge, I can’t do it, I really can’t.”

These whining remarks he had heard so many times over the years. This was his own fault. He had spoiled him too much. Never allowed him to shoulder any of the burdens. But he also knew the value that he had in Qingxuan’s soul. It was the same in his own. His eyes rested on each of those madmen again and he made his decision.

“QUIET! Don’t you understand? To have me lose everything and watch you become a grimy creature, you think I can do it? Why don’t you just piss me off to death!”

But Qingxuan was unrelenting. He had always been so obedient before. Just one word. Just one glance would be enough to calm that rebellious spirit and keep it at bay. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a slight sneer of satisfaction from Black Water.

Suddenly he remembered Pei Ming, that faithful friend that was outside, waiting for them. As he stared at his brother, he realized that Qingxuan had not gained the fortune of even a good friend like he had. All the jade belts, jewels, and magical ornaments that he had gained, those were bestowed upon him by Shi Wudu. He had flown on borrowed wings for too long.

“Go find General Pei. Ask him to take care of you.”

He placed the sword in Qingxuan’s hand, but the blade fell down. Again and Again. It wouldn’t stay in the boy’s hand no matter what.

“Nevermind, Ge, nevermind! Didn’t you tell me yourself? Everyone only cares for themselves in this world, why would anyone take care of us? Haven’t we always taken care of each other? Don’t give this thing to me. DON’T GIVE IT TO ME!”

Qingxuan threw the blade down. Shi Wudu stared at the thrown object, just out of reach like his brother. Softly, he spoke to him.

“...Your brother’s been named the Water Tyrant, you know this. Having summoned so many waves over the years, there’s at least a thousand. I’ve enemies covering the Heavens to the Earth. It’s be easier if I die. If I die, nothing will happen to you. If I don’t die I have nothing, then that’s truly a fate worst than death.”

He picked up the blade again, staring at his own reflection in the rusty metal. Dirty, filthy, tired.

“If I’m not the Water God, I can’t take care of you. I won’t even be able to protect myself. I’m scared that we won’t even last two days...TAKE IT!”

For the first time in his entire life since the return of the Reverend in their mortal lives, Shi Wudu felt fear. It had been such a long time. He forgot that such a thing existed. Hearing Qingxuan’s cries for help and struggling to escape fell numbly on his ears. Within those cries, he heard “Ge, Ge, Ge” and it played in his mind like a distant memory.

_That’s right. I’m your Ge._

“...Don’t be scared, Qingxuan, this won’t hurt as much as exchanging fates or stripping power.”

_I am your Ge. I will always be your Ge._

Black Water’s voice sounded behind them. “Quiet! Enough of that disgusting display of brotherly love. Open your eyes and see where you are. No one will be moved by you here.”

Shi Wudu smiled faintly when he heard those words. They were indeed in a place beyond the reckoning of any human sentiment other than their own. He thought of Lingwen and Pei Ming, his friends. Maybe he shouldn’t bother them and bring Black Water upon them.

Maybe Qingxuan was right. It was just them in the world. If he was gone, then what would happen to him? What if Black Water didn’t keep his word? He had no reason to. He owed them nothing. But in his mind that image played over before his mind.

Of Qingxuan being held by He Xuan. The difference between the two. One in white, though dirty, it was still white. The other in black. They had been born on the same day. Like twins. And like twins, one would naturally be loathed to be apart from the other. No, he couldn’t let Qingxuan stay with him.

“Qingxuan, I can’t leave you alone like this. If I die, there’s no way you’ll be able to survive in this world, so you might as well come with me.”

Shi Wudu pressed his hands over his brother’s neck. _I won’t give you to him. I can’t give you to him._ He pressed harder, feeling the weight of Qingxuan’s tender neck pushing back. The boy’s eyes began to lose focus.

“Did I give you a third path?’

The Water Tyrant was ripped backwards. _Hahahaha! It was just as_ _he expected. He knew it! He knew it! Black Water! He Xuan couldn’t do it! Wouldn’t allow it happen!_

Laughing, Shi Wudu stared at Black Water’s shocked expression, then at Qingxuan’s tearful face, and his own limbless arms. Never had he ever been in such a state before. He continued laughing. This was too funny! This was bound to be the end for Black Water! For the both of them.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at you! I’m laughing at you, thinking you got the upper hand! Did you think you’ve finally taken your revenge after enduring it for so many years? Does it feel good?”

“Seeing you broken like this, it does feel good.”

Shi Wudu tried to pat Black Water on the shoulder like how he used to do with Lingwen and Pei Ming, treating him with friendliness. But his limbless arms only reached as far as the collar. He glanced at the urns and back at He Xuan and then at Qingxuan and himself, broken but not shattered. Just like how Qingxuan would be. So unlike the pale shadow before the both of them.

“Is that right?” Shi Wudu smiled. “Then let me tell you, I feel good too!”

He Xuan was silent.

“Because I see the you right now, who is so filled with rage, so filled with suffering, so filled with hate, yet you are still powerlessness in bringing your family back. You’re still nothing more than a ghost in the gutters of the shadows. BE AS MAD AS YOU WANT, THEY’RE LONG GONE! But me, and my brother, we’ve lived so long, and we’ve been Heavenly Officials for hundreds of years. Even if he can’t be one any longer. Even if he can’t live anymore, he still profited. I’M STILL THE VICTOR, SO I FEEL EVEN BETTER THAN YOU!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!”

In the background of his madness, he heard Qingxuan’s voice calling him ‘Ge’, but Black Water was closer.

“HAVE YOU NO REMORSE?!”

“Remorse?” He could seeing the fury burning behind Black Water’s cold expression and it moved him even bigger fits of laughter. The irony was too rich! “Hmph! WHAT A JOKE! And to think you’re a Supreme Ghost King, the Ship-Sinking Black Water. You WANT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT REMORSE? LET ME TELL YOU, THERE IS NO SUCH THING!”

He glanced back at the urns. What a miserable excuse Black Water was, not being able to save them.

“EVERYTHING I HAVE TODAY, I FOUGHT FOR MYSELF. I WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT I DON’T HAVE. I WILL CHANGE FATE I DON’T POSSESS. MY FATE IS UP TO ME AND NOT THE HEAVENS!”

He Xuan stared at the Water Tyrant and as if infected by the laughter, he began to laugh too. They shared this moment, at least until Qingxuan’s voice broke through the bubble of this impasse.

“...Gege, I beg you. I beg you, please stop talking, please shut up. Help...”

Gege… it had been so long since he had been called that. Since Qingxuan was in adolescence, before he had grown too old to call his older brother by the endearing moniker. He had grown up well, hadn’t he?

“Qingxuan, Gege will go ahead of you first. I will wait for you down below...”

The boy’s dull eyes widened and with renewed spirit he began to shake the shackles holding him back. _See,_ he thought, _broken but not shattered_. The iron grips sounded like clamoring of Baixue Temple’s Bells announcing the morning had arrived. He didn’t care what Black Water did with his body. Burn it as a sacrifice. Whatever. As long as it meant that Qingxuan could rise from his ashes.

“MING-XIONG! MING-XIONG! I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY! WE’RE THE ONES WHO SINNED! WE’RE THE ONES IN THE WRONG! IT’S MY FAULT! MY BROTHER ONLY DID WHAT HE DID BECAUSE OF ME. MY BROTHER’S GONE MAD. HE’S CRAZY, CAN’T YOU SEE! I...YOU...YOU.”

Black Water seemed to relent and then said, “You’ve called the wrong person.”

Shi Wudu felt the pressure on the neck as He Xuan pulled at his head. He watched Qingxuan’s manic cries for mercy falling on deaf ears. And then he was gone.

He Xuan stared at the head in his hands. The madmen were shouting in celebration, but there was nothing to be celebrated. Something had gone wrong here, but what, he didn’t know. Qingxuan had stopped screaming a while back.

“...do you have anything else you want to say?”

Shi Qingxuan’s eyes gazed at the row of urns, the broken fans, and only at the edges of the blood pooling from his brother body.

“...I want to die.” He closed his eyes as Black Water reached for him. The words He Xuan spoke fell on deaf ears. Shi Qingxuan was not there.


	13. Hibernation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan takes Shi Qingxuan to Fugu.

With only the limbs remaining, Shi Wudu’s corpse lay motionless on the smooth black floor of Nether Water Manor. His brother gazed past He Xuan’s shoulder and continued to stare at it even when the Black Water Master shifted his face to stare at him. Shi Qingxuan’s bright eyes usually animated with joy and spirit had dulled. Damp hair had shifted into the pale, shocked face as the boy lowered his head.

He unshackled the chains on his arms and legs. He had already packed away his family’s urns and tucked the decapitated head into a black cloth. He stored them into a qiankun pouch. Picking up the boy by the shoulders and crook of his legs, he carried him to the Transportation Chamber.

Drawing a new array, he activated the portal. They were transported to that overgrown wasteland of Fugu that had been abandoned after centuries of demonic habitation. Only the occasionally desperate robber and other morally dubious individuals dared to stalk these forests. Most of the time, when a human entered this forest, they were seeking death.

Since carrying him away to the Terrace of Cascading Wine, Shi Qingxuan had lost weight. The body in his arms wasn’t capable of movement, but as he pressed the chest to his own, he could feel the heart beating rapidly.

_Save yourself the trouble. Don’t bother. You haven’t bothered in a while, so why now?_

He had spent so many years in hiding, perfecting Ming Yi. There was no slip-up. There were days that he spent longer as the commoner who had ascended to Godhood instead of Black Water. The more time spent as both, the less as He Xuan, the weakling who had always to lower his head and accept others’ ways. And yet, in all his identities, he had to hide in the shadows. Even now he couldn’t come out.

There would be no more going back up. He stared up at the Heavens. That future that should have belonged to him faded. He glanced at the bundle in his arms and rested his chin on the damp, chilled hair. This was disappearing too. It had already disappeared. Whatever _it_ was, _it_ was gone.

At first, he had made up his mind to give the chances to Shi Qingxuan. He’s young, always lived under his brother’s thumb. He’s righteous, he’ll know what the fair decision is. He’ll understand. He’ll stay. He’ll be strong enough to withstand it.

Once Shi Wudu chose to save his own skin and betray him, he would see what his brother really was. But Shi Wudu did not follow the script Black Water had written in his mind. Shi Qingxuan didn’t follow it either. Ming Yi didn’t follow it. Black Water had grown too, _too_ comfortable as Ming Yi. He strayed and in doing so, he betrayed He Xuan.

He glanced at the bundle again. It would be so easy, like clipping the wings off the spine of a butterfly. The searing flight that had always been characteristic of the Young Lord Who Poured Wine, of the Lord Wind Master, was so crippled that he couldn’t even walk. The wings had been damaged, but even with out ripping them off by the root, he couldn’t fly anymore.

A fallen butterfly like himself.

Each quarter of his own wings had been ripped out. Mother. Father. Sister. Fiancee.

All that was left was the squirming shell.

Shi Qingxuan was set down on his feet. He was still. Then seized with anxiety, he clutched at He Xuan’s robes. “M-my b-b-brother’s h-head. L-l-let m-me h-have it. P-please.”

He Xuan wrenched the fingers from his robes. He said nothing because his answer was nothing. All those chances and he had been cast over. He had fought his entire life to be ‘chosen’ and was always cast aside. He stared coldly at him, fully prepared to push the boy aside if he tried to reach for the pouch.

Shi Qingxuan fell to his knees, clutching at his own robes. He had neither the head or body, just a splatter of blood on the front of his clothes. Hurriedly he took off his outer robes and bundled it into a ball, determined to pray over it, hoping his brother could rest in peace.

He Xuan held out his hands.

Shi Qingxuan refused and keep praying fervently. When He Xuan reached to pull the bundle from him, Shi Qingxuan bit him.

“You!”

He reared his hand back in a move to hit him, but halted. The boy kept praying. The words fast and muddled. Short gasps of laughter in between. He was a vision of madness. After praying over the bundle, Shi Qingxuan stripped off his second layer of robes. He tore it to strips and tied a loop at one end.

He Xuan observed him hook the make-shift rope over a tall branch, disbelieving he really had the conviction. Shi Qingxuan climbed the tree and hung the loop over his neck.

“Ge-I’m coming. I’ll be with you and mom and dad.”

He jumped.

His feet dangled off the ground. The resilient strip hung at the neck, squeezing tighter with every flip of his feet. His eyes began to close. He Xuan rushed over and snapped the fabric in half and wrenched it from the tender throat.

“Get up! Get up! You dare!” Roughly, he shook the shoulders. He reached into Shi Qingxuan’s mouth and held the boy’s tongue in his fingers. If you want to bite your tongue in half, you have to bite through your tongue cleanly. Bite through my fingers first if you want to die!”

Shi Qingxuan tried to bite down, but found that he couldn’t. Weakly, he tried to pry the fingers from his mouth. His eyes watered and his own arms went slack. The hands that ripped his brother’s head from his body, causing that death, were in his mouth, preventing him from the release of that same fate. The tension in Shi Qingxuan’s body ebbed. He no longer had energy to do anything else. Only to cry.

Through the sobs, he heard a voice quietly advising him. “Didn’t he do it for you…? Just live.”

“I don’t want to...”

“You don’t have a choice. I won’t let you die.”

The thought of He Xuan following him, with hands soaked in his brother’s blood, haunting him  shocked him into a stupor .  Kneeling down to him,  he  stared  past Black Water , staring straight ahead as he imagined his future.

He Xuan pressed the acupoints on his body to immobilize him. He couldn’t take the chance that at some point, Shi Qingxuan would manage to succeed in joining his brother.

_Water Tyrant, you controlled all the waters in the rivers and seas. You had your time. You made your choice. You don’t get to win in this, Shi Wudu. I won’t allow him to cross the threshold between life and death to join you._

Fainting from exhaustion, He Xuan cradled him in his arms. They arrived at the abandoned house. With one hand he activated the house’s protection barrier. Inside the house, there were fresh fruit, a sack of uncooked rice, and water.

Opening the door to his old room, he carried Shi Qingxuan over the threshold  and placed him gently down in the bed. He carried over a bucket of water and taking a white cloth, he wiped at the tear-stricken face. Shi Wudu’s blood left thin lines  trickling down from the closed eyes. 

He picked up the hands and moved up the sleeves. Thick carmine bands  circled the wrists, raw and still bleeding. He Xuan looked at the dirty shoes. Taking them off, he lifted  up the pant legs and found equal bands around the ankles. 

P ressing healing powder onto the red bands, the marks faded. Shi Qingxuan developed a fever over the next few days. In his haze, he called out for his mother, father, brother.  There were  a few  periods of lucidity through the feverish hallucinations, but not many . 

“I’ll be good. I’ll be good. I’m sorry, Ge! I’m sorry, Ge! I did this! Please! I did this! Don’t take take him! He can do so much! He does so much! Me! Take me! I’m nothing! I’m not worth anything! I’m so stupid! I’m so, so, so stupid!”

He Xuan had left the room to boil medicine and when he came back, Shi Qingxuan was slapping himself. Sitting on the bed, he held the arms and forced them to their sides. “ Stop it.”

Staring at the man, the tension in the hands disappeared and so He Xuan let go. “ Ge, you’re back.” He smiled brightly and wiped at his face. “Ge, you remember your promise?  That when, someday I’m the same size as you, you said I  could wear your clothes.” He patted his chest. “Ge, I’m big enough now, right? I’ll be just like you. Amazing in everything!”

Shi Qingxuan’s eyes searched his. He Xuan stared back at him. “Ge, you believe it, right? That I can do it. Ge, I can. Don’t leave me because I can.”  He tucked his arms around the other body. “You’re all I have… Don’t leave me...Ge. I’ll be good. I’ll do whatever you say. Don’t go.”

“Then sleep.”

“Ge, just like old times. I promise I won’t leave my snot on you.”

“ Okay. But take your medicine first.” Shi Qingxuan nodded eagerly and sipped at the medicine until it was gone. He Xuan gazed into his eyes and what was reflected back, was himself wearing Shi Wudu’s form. 

Why he had done it? He wasn’t sure.  The sickly youth curled into his embrace, like a  child seeking comfort.  He Xuan inhaled. The knot in his stomach tightened.  His fingers soothed out the wrinkles in the back of  Shi Qingxuan’s robe. He pressed his cheek against the forehead to test the temperature. The fever had gone down some. 

“Don’t piss me off to death.  You better take good care of yourself.  Don’t get your snot on me."

Shi Qingxuan’s arms tightened around his back  as he nuzzled his face into the black collars. He slept soundly and dreamed of the good days of old. Of Acacia Manor. Of Luoyang.  Peace graced the sleeping features. 

As a mortal, he couldn’t hear the high-pitch whines of the demonic creatures from outside the protective barrier of the house.  The kiln was opening.  A new Ghost King was going to emerge. He Xuan wondered if he should leave to try and attain a higher level of power. He had achieved his revenge.

_What else is there?_

A slight rustle against his chest distracted him. Shi Qingxuan’s hair tickled his throat. He Xuan felt his body transitioning back to it's true form. His eyes grew heavy. _Not yet,_ he told himself. _I need to be here._ It wasn’t true was it, that there wasn’t anything left? With these thoughts in mind and the image of Shi Qingxuan’s face imprinted in his mind, Black Water Demon Xuan descended into the depths of hibernation. 

Together, side by side, they first dreamed of their respective pasts and then of the one they shared together.  The supposed first meeting  on the Heavenly Avenue, the countless adventures, the several decades almost as long as the average human lifespan. Then , the period in Nether Water Manor…

Those moments drowned the rest of those lively times, draining out the beauty and plunged them deep into the abyss.

“ _His_ _ endless glory was robbed from my fate, plundered from my divinity.” _

“ _Since...you’ve always been by his side, you should know very well that I didn’t deceive you. He’s not one to hide anything._

_... always been by his side, robbed, plundered, always been by his side, robbed, plundered always been by his side, robbed, plundered... always been by his side…_

Throughout his hibernation, his body was in vulnerable paralysis. His eyes would open periodically, but his body had not accepted that the conservation period was ongoing and lulled him back to sleep. During the haze, the pressure lifted from his chest, lifting from around his back. The warmth lingered for a bit longer and then disappeared altogether.

Channeling all the power he had left in his body, he willed it to move, but his body remained motionless. He could only watch through heavily-lidded eyes, the blood spattered white cloth shifting further and further out of reach.

Shi Qingxuan walked slowly around the house, examining each room, touching all the pillars. Every place had it’s significance. This place meant something. In one of the rooms, tattered old fabric lined the bed, the kind a young girl would have. A cheaper version of the kind that Shi Qingxuan would have in his disguised mortal youth. He touched the material tenderly.

In the other bedroom was a faded ink portrait of a mother, a father, a daughter, and...a son. He leaned his face closer to peer at the painting. Age had worn away the face of the son, but no matter. Wasn’t it a face he knew well? It was just that he had failed in knowing everything else. With a single finger, he touched this as well.

The kitchen was small, but adequate. A sack of rice was laying on the ground. This entire room was smaller than a single bedroom in Acacia Manor. Shi Qingxuan glanced at the open door of the bedroom at the sleeping figure on the worn, broken down bed.

Turning, he placed water in a pot and started a fire. During the old days, in the recent dreams of his Ge, when the Shi fortune had dwindled, he remembered being taught how to cook rice. First washing the grain carefully and then placing it into a pot to boil. He followed the instructions carefully as if Shi Wudu was there, guiding him each step of the way.

Once the rice was cooked, he used a ladle to place it into a bowl and placed a warm cloth around it to keep it warm. He placed chopsticks over the top and a cup of water on the side. Picking up his bundle of cloth, he gently lowered it into the fire. He closed his eyes and recited a prayer over the burning cloth.

He took off another layer of his clothes, folding it over thrice and then using a metal pan and his hands, he collected the ashes and tied them into the robe. Cradling the bundle in his arms, he glanced at the ashes that contained the last pieces of his brother that he had. Then with a final glance at the sleeping man and the cooked rice on the table, he left the house.

“ _Never show yourself before me again and I will pretend you’ve never existed in this world.”_

A streak of panic rippled through the paralyzed body left behind, but he stopped fighting. He lay on the wooden bed that had supported him since childhood, in the only home he had ever known. Thinking instead of feeling.

Black Water had left Nether Water with a qiankun pouch containing four urns, a head, a sense of triumph, and with a person. A friend, enemy, or a mixture of the two. He didn’t know what Shi Qingxuan was. All he knew was that he was gone. That he left.


	14. Going Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shi Qingxuan goes to Luoyang.

**Home**

Shi Qingxuan followed the road paths to bring his brother home. Winter was approaching, but it was late this year. Perhaps for the first time in all these centuries. Shi Qingxuan thought that maybe even the Heavens were reluctant to mourn his brother’s death, even if he was the Water Tyrant.

He spoke to the bundle on occasion to remark about the new developments in the town, the potted bright peony blossoms, new inventions, and the old cuisine that had not changed. He took some of the back roads to avoid being seen. He traveled through the night. When he was hungry, he peeled off the leaves that had not withered from the branches of trees and ate them. Thirsty, he waited for rain, but it seemed hard to come by. Harder in the Winter than in the Spring.

He clutched at the bundle tightly, protecting it. Unknown to him, he had been observed clutching the bundle and drew the attention of those who thought he must be hoarding some precious treasure. In an open road, he was accosted by three robbers.

They demanded that he hand over the package, but he refused. One man tried to yank it out of his hands, but Shi Qingxuan kicked him, holding it tighter.

“FUCK!” A bandit spat. “You brat!”

“Leave it.” One said. “The kid’s just a crazy shit.”

“No, what’s in the bundle?”

“N-nothing.”

He tucked it into his body. “Nothing, I swear!”

The bandits exchanged looks and surrounded him. They held him down and snatched the package from his hands, raining blows on the boy’s head. After taking the clothes, they unraveled it, they found nothing but blood splatter and ashes.

“What shit is this?!” They tossed it aside. “How dare you trick us!”

“I d-didn’t. I d-didn’t.”

“The fuck you did!” He pulled Shi Qingxuan’s arm back and twisted. It snapped out of it’s socket.

“Arghhhhhhhh!”

One of the bandits stomped on one of his legs, cracking the femur. They stomped continuously until Shi Qingxuan’s eyes grew heavy, still reaching out for that opened bundle. The ashes were starting to scatter.

“What a weakling! He fainted!.”

Just as they were about to break the other arm and leg, they felt a gust of spiritual energy pin them each to the ground. A tall, dark figure approached. The face was shockingly white, devoid of any blood. Definitely not human. Invisible hands yanked upward and snapped their necks. 

Using a magical array, He Xuan transported the bodies elsewhere. He looked at Shi Qingxuan’s injured body and reached out. He paused. Taking his hand back, he turned and found the bundle of ashes. He stared at it, considering whether or not to leave it to brave the night’s breeze. Pulling at the edges, he covered the cloth at the edges and left it where it was. 

When Shi Qingxuan woke up, he was greatly changed. He was now half a body, but a change had taken place. The moment he saw the bundle, safe and sound, he thanked the Heavens, his spirit renewed. 

He hobbled onward in his travels, traveling slower than before. After a few days, his leg hardened to the journey, having grown accustomed to accepting his full weight. By the road he found a tree branch the perfect height to use as a crutch. Using it with enthusiasm, he was able to carry the bundle of ashes more efficiently without fear of dropping it due to the imbalance.

Along the way, there were times when it rained. When it did he took shelter in desecrated Wind and Water Temples. He drew his hands out to touch the rain. He placed the bundle beside him and collected the water in his palms, drinking it to relieve his parched throat.

Then, thanking the temple for giving him shelter, he cleaned it of the broken plague, dusted off the dirt and debris. “Ha, almost good as new.” He cleaned it with the shirt of his robe, turning the robe inside out. Afterwards, he tried to clean the robe in the rain, but only managed to spread the dirt even more, but at least the temple was moderately clean now.

He put on his inner shirt again, tying it shut with one hand and his teeth. “Ge, I won’t clean with my pants, I promise.” He pat the bundle next to him as they looked out at the pouring rain together. A cold chill was starting to come through, but he barely felt it.

When the rain had stopped, Shi Qingxuan and Ge moved on. Walking on the road to the Shi Clan Plot in Luoyang. The determination was his own. Partially inspired by Shi Wudu and also Black Water Demon Xuan. If they could endure everything all those years while he rested in luxury, then he could endure as well.

He finally reached the cemetery, but could only hobble towards the graves. He had lost his shoes during the journey and had torn bits of his sleeves and pants to clothe his feet. He had never done hard labor before, but now matter what, how could this be considered hard?

A landslide from many years from before had buried the plot in a thick layer of sediment. But due to the recent rain, the earth had softened.

“Thank you, Yushi Huang!”

He used a piece of discarded wood to dig out the graves. It took him several days to dig it. On the third day, he had passed out due to exhaustion and was awakened by the thundering of a cart passing by. It was a man carrying loaves of bread for sale. Several loaves fell out of his wagon.

Shi Qingxuan called out to the baker. The man paused his horse and shouted. “Whatever! Forget it. Take it!”

“Thank you!”

Gathering up the loaves he placed it on the recently cleaned tombs. He dug a deep hole and placed the bundle in it. Then with a soft pat, he buried the bundle with his hand. There was a dull scrap of metal, probably a nail. Cradling the rock on between his useful knee and pressing down, he used it to carve Shi Wudu on a rock and placed it over top. Then he said a prayer.

He glanced at all the other graves and looked at the offerings. What else could he do? Ah, a song. He decided to sing.

蓝蓝的白云天  _Blue sky with white clouds_  
悠悠水边流  _The stream water flows slowly_  
玉手扬鞭马儿走 _Beautiful hand whip and keeps the horse running_  
月上柳梢头  _Meets on the moon rises above willow head_

Stormy clouds floated overhead, signaling the incoming storm. Darker and grayer, they strained underneath the weight they carried. These clouds held out for just a bit longer. _Just a bit longer,_ Shi Qinxuan pleaded.

  
红红的美人脸  _A pretty face._  
淡淡柳眉愁  _Light willow eyebrow, It feels sorrow_  
飞针走线荷包绣  _Embroider the purse quickly and delicacy_  
相思在心头  _Acacia in my heart._

Pitter patters of clear droplets bitterly washed the stones and the rock tombstone. Becoming thicker as the storm gained momentum and washed the singing soul clean in body and spirit.

  
风儿清水长流  _The wind is blowing and the clear water is flowing._  
哥哥天边走  _Brother needs to be away from home._

Which were rain? Which were tears? Both smacked harshly the hallow cheeks.

  
自古美女爱英雄  _From ancient to present. The beauty loves the hero._  
一诺千金到尽头  _A promise is like a thousand pounds of gold._  
风声紧雷声吼  _Rapid wind and loud thunder._

The thunder sounded against the sky. Lightning struck. A gust of wind whipped around the kneeling figure. Clasping a single hand to his chest, to be heard over the stone, he sang louder.

妹妹苦争斗!!! _Hard fight between sister_ _s!!!_  
自古红颜多薄命!!! _All the time, most of beauty of fate is bumpy!!!_  
玉 碎 瓦 全 登 西 楼 !!!  _ Better death than dishonor!!!  
_

Kowtowing three times, he smacked his head into  the muddy ground. He did  it for every stone present. Getting too close to his brother’s marker, he bashed his head into the stone more than three times. For each time that his brother had to kneel and kowtow in Nether Water Manor for him, he multiplied it. 

_ Bam. _

_Bam_

_Bam._

Touching his forehead, Shi Qingxuan felt the mixture of rain and blood pouring down his face. His head throbbed. He collapsed, sinking into the mud. With effort he turned over and felt the dashing pellets batter his face and body. Laughing softly, he closed his eyes and went to sleep. The rain had ceased peppering his chest and face, so he assumed it had stopped. He was too tired to care and drifted into a deep rest.

Holding an umbrella over the dozing youth, He Xuan gazed at the unearthed tombstones and then at the rock. Blood seeped in the shallow carving of Shi Wudu’s name. It seemed that the storm’s relentless onslaught would not end, giving no respite.

When Shi Qingxuan awoke, he wondered why he wasn’t drenched as expected. He looked up at the sky. The sun had come out and now blazed bright and rejuvenated. There was a rainbow peeking behind the leftover gray clouds.

He dusted off his pants and turned to the tombstones and his brother’s rock. “Ge, I’m off! I’ll see...you soon.” Shi Qingxuan paused and knelt down. As he peered closer, they seemed cleaner than before. He spun around, making himself dizzy, checking for others. 

Opening his mouth to speak, he closed it. With a gentle caress on the stones and the rock, he set out to the Royal Capital. On the way there, from having slept so often in the cold and wearing little more than a set of dirty inner robes, Shi Qingxuan started having hallucinations as he reached the city.

He stormed down the streets and found the Wind and Water Temple, stacked with people. Elbowing through the crowd, he headed straight for the altar. The statues of him and his brother were gone and replaced with ragged laundry and sleeping beggars. Complaining and shouting about how dirty _his_ temple was, he cleaned and scrubbed.

The crazed manner cycled for several days on end until his fever overtook him and he lost consciousness. The other inhabitants left him where he was, hoping that he would recover on his own. No one had any money for a doctor.

When he regained his sanity, Shi Qingxuan sat up weakly. When he woke up, a young boy was by his side. He was just as dirty as him, one of the many beggars that had seized the temple as a shelter. A group of beggars crowded around them.

“Hey, kid! Is he up yet?”

“Yeah.”

“Crazy Ol’ Feng, you alright? I thought you were a goner.”

“Feng?”

“Yeah, that’s your name right? You kept saying that.”

“Ah, yeah, yeah. My name is Feng.”

“No surname?”

“Ahahahahha. Just Feng Feng.” He laughed.

The beggars were all huddled together, peering at their new comrade. Then they suddenly laughed at the new companion and the young boy sitting by him. Pointing and clutching their stomachs, a great roar erupted in the temple.

“What’s so funny? Come on. Let me know the joke. I love jokes.”

“You’re surname風Feng and he’s surname月Yue. 風月Feng Yue. Get it????”

_Ah,_ Shi Qingxuan thought. _The Feng for ‘Wind’ and the ‘Yue’ for Moon, placed together often translated to ‘Romance’._

“Hahahahahah that IS funny. BUT Look at me! I’m old enough to take a couple of jokes. He’s just a kid. How can you joke about that! Poor kid! He’s cute too! He’s gonna grow up and marry a beauty, I’m sure. Don’t ruin his prospects by sprouting nonsense!!”

The other beggars shook their heads and separated in the temple. Only surname ‘Yue’ stayed. Shi Qingxuan tucked his in knees and looked about at the crowded temple. There wasn’t much room for anyone, so he figured that’s why he stayed.

“Hey, don’t mind them.”

“I don’t. I got thick skin.”

Shi Qingxuan reached over and pinched his soft cheek. If he was better fed, he would probably have such chubby cheeks. He smiled.

“What’s your given name?”

“洋 Yang for ‘Ocean’.”

“Yue Yang. Yang, Yang, Yang.” 

_Ocean_ , he thought. Dismissing the nonsense that popped up. Shi Qingxuan dusted out the space beside him. The boy glanced at the spot and moved to sit in it, gazing at the fire that kept the center of the temple warm. It was so strange to think of the once illustrious Wind and Water Temple now housing beggars and there was even a fire in the middle of it. If anyone told him this was going to happen a month ago, he would have never believed it. 

The fortunes of those in the world really were unfathomable. This reminded him of something the Crown Prince, Xie Lian, had once told him. What was it? He racked his brain to remember. Ah, that’s right.

“ _When humans ascend, they’re still human; When they fall, they’re still human.”_

It was so unlike what he had been told for centuries. In this moment, it also felt more true. He felt the intent stare of Yue Yang staring at him. Shi Qingxuan hadn’t realized he had said it aloud and moved onto the next topic of conversation. 

“Is it okay if I call you, A-Yang?”

“...”

“Hey, you can call me ‘Feng-gege’ or ‘Feng-ge.’”

The boy stared at him. Then he asked. “Is that really alright?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“Feng-gege.”

“Atta boy.”

“Feng-gege.”

“Yeah?”

“Feng-gege.”

“Yeah?”

“Sounds weird, but whatever. Here.”

The boy handed him a hot potato. Shi Qingxuan glanced at the vegetable and then at the boy and then back at the potato. 

“I’m not going to peel it for you. Do it yourself.”

Hurriedly, he began to try and peel the potato. Seeing that he was making a horrible mess, Yue Yang showed him how to peel more efficiently. He got a ruffle across his hair as ‘thanks’.

“Whatever.”

“This is good. It’s sweeter than I thought.”

Happily, he munched on the potato. Slowly, to both savor the flavor and he also didn’t know when his next meal would be. Yue Yang ate his own potato quietly, casting subtle glances at the other boy.

“ _Perhaps, when a person has only ever eaten only that which is bitter, then they would be used to the taste of the bitterness. But, if suddenly one day someone gave them a taste of sweetness, to eat what was bitter with the thought of sweetness would probably bring a frown to their face.”_

The Crown Prince, Xie Lian had said that once. Perhaps he had been thinking about Crimson Rain Sought Flower. Fate was a bitter fruit, vegetable. Whatever. You could starve on it. That’s what he thought. Shi Qingxuan’s dirty face was unlike any prior version of himself that He Xuan had ever seen. And yet, he still seemed the same. Sweet.

He bit down into the potato and only ate half. He tasted bitterness. So he complained of a stomachache and gave it to the other boy.

“Are you sure? Come on, save it for later.”

The boy shook his head. “Naw, my stomach hurts. If you don’t eat it. It’ll go to waste. Food’s already hard to come by. Go ahead.”

With these words, Shi Qingxuan ate the leftover potato to completion and finally He Xuan felt a respite from the bitterness. He tasted a bit of sweetness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beauty Sing  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waH4WKgGyg4
> 
> Book 5:  
> https://wordsyoufeel97423323.wordpress.com/2020/10/21/tgcf-quotes/
> 
> 風月 Feng Yue  
> https://inmymelody.wordpress.com/2017/08/07/romance-huang-ling/
> 
> The Yang in Xue Yang means “Ocean”.


	15. Human Array

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shi Qingxuan meets again with Xie Lian and Hua Cheng

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quotes  
> Chap. 204 Chap. 227 Chap. 244 (YummySuika Translations) tgcfmxtx.carrd.co

**Half a Body**

During the next few days, Shi Qingxuan continued to clean the temple and aid the other beggars. He couldn’t really afford his own keep. At least, not as he was. Seeing so young a person being reduced a miserable fate made them pity him. He helped where he could, especially the ill.

While others were afraid that the illness was catching and didn’t approach the sick, Ol’ Feng did so wholeheartedly. He even came up with a plan to earn money. The most popular ballads and tunes, he knew them all and taught the rest of the beggars. They split into separate groups and in different areas, sang the ballads, earning enough food for meals.

At first, the other beggars were suspicious of the boy’s kindness. In a pack, they called him out and demanded to know the reason.

“Why not just save those songs for yourself? You could earn quite a bit with them? Why share? What’s your scheme?”

Ol’ Feng held up his one good hand defensively and glanced at each face. “Listen, aren’t we in this all together? Surely if we share in one another’s burdens, we can share in the joy. What’s the good in hoarding? I like songs and heard so many. If we band together, we can earn more.”

“What if others pocket more than their fair share?”

“Trust. What others do is up to them. It has nothing to do with me. If I can help, I will do so. My conscience is clear. A good man can be led to a well, but that doesn’t mean he will fall in it.”

His words made sense and it was evident that his actions spoke louder than even those. New to their shelter, the two young boys helped around. What they lacked in age and weight, they made up for in triple the virtue.

“Hey, I got it. Ge’s got it, A-Yang.”

“It’s fine. You’ve got just one arm and one leg. How can you fold well?”

“Ahahahahah. This is true. But hey, you’re half my height! Who are you to talk about the deficiencies of others?”

“You’re half a body and I’m half a body, together we make a whole.”

Ol’ Feng’s laughter subsided when he noticed the seriousness of the expression. He heard someone call them over. It was early evening. Time for learning new songs. Exchanging their numbers, the beggars eagerly shared which songs earned the most.

Happier sounding melodies were more popular in the East Districts while more somber tunes were popular in the West. The other beggars waited to hear what songs Ol’ Feng would sing. He seemed to be a wealth of knowledge in this arena, richer than all the rest of them.

“Hmmm... How’s this one sound?”

怎么也飞不出, 花花的世界。 _I can't fly out, the world of flowers._

原来我是一只, 酒醉的蝴蝶。 _So I am, a drunken butterfly._

你的那一句誓约, 来得轻描又淡写。 _Your vow, light and sketchy._

却要换我这一生, 再也解不开的结。 _It has tied down my life, with entangled knots._

春去镜前花, _Spring goes like flower in the mirror_

秋来水中月。 _F_ _all comes as moon reflection in the water._

原来我就是，那一只酒醉的蝴蝶。 _So I am, that one drunken butterfly._

花开花时节, _Flowers blossom in different seasons,_

月落月圆缺。 _Moon sets in full and crescent phases._

原来我就是，那一只酒醉的蝴蝶。 _So I am, that one drunken butterfly._

The beggars nodded and repeated the lyrics, a few lines at a time and then rehearsed with Ol’ Feng. Once they were confident they could sing in reasonable harmony, they continued on. They sang a few more songs, popular ballads throughout the Royal Capital.

Since they were usually together, He Xuan knew most of the lyrics to the songs already. There was one song he did not know as well. It was one that was famous in Luoyang while they were both mortal. After singing it once together, he told ‘A-Yang’ to go ahead and sleep so that they could be well rested to busk the next day.

While he curled up on his side near a pillar, he listened to the singing lessons. Using the single good hand, Ol’ Feng motioned for when they needed to rise and lower their pitches. Excitedly he tapped his foot. Others began to clap their hands and bang on the floor of the temple along to lyrics.

看茫茫人海我丢失了爱 _Looking at the vast crowd I lost my love_

看眼泪止不住掉下来 _Tears can’t stop falling_

有人虔心跪拜 _Someone kneels piously_

有人死性不改 _Some people are very stubborn_

Of all these songs he could have remembered from so long ago, why did he remember this one? Unwelcome reveries of the past month bled into his mind because of the inability to sleep. All the other beings in the temple were living. Even those near death, were closer to life than he was.

妖魔鬼怪颠倒黑白 _Evil spirits turn good and bad_

一晃数十载青春已不在 _Decades of youth have gone by_

快乐过遗憾过好感慨 _Happiness Forgiveness Regardless_

Deciding to allow them to practice on their own, the boy retired and found A-Yang near the pillar. He rested in his usual spot and listened to the wholehearted rehearsal. He felt the other boy draw the thin blanket over him. He smiled and closed his eyes.

Ol’ Feng had appeared quite cheerful while awake, but as he struggled to fall asleep, his brows knit in deep anxiety. Often when frightened or anxious, out of concern for others, he covered it with attempts at humor or masked it with a smile. He Xuan glanced at the bumps beneath the blanket where the broken limbs were.

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

“You’re shaking, you must be cold. You can hold onto me. Come on. You rest too. Kids need their rest the most.”

有人狠心离开 _Someone left cruelly_

有人一生等待 _Someone waits for life_

哪有什么苦尽甘来 _No sufferings have their reward_

He Xuan gazed at the hand offered to him. The skin was cracked and covered in grime with dirt deeply embedded in the nails.

“Is it really okay?”

“Yeah.”

He Xuan scooted closer and rested his head on the shoulder that wasn’t injured. He felt the warmth from Shi Qingxuan’s neck and face on his head. Tentatively, he placed one hand on the chest. With his eyes, he followed the rising and falling motions.

世间太多伤害 _Too much harm in the world_

轮回里徘徊 _Wandering in reincarnation_

缘起缘灭不过是尘埃 _Fate is just dust_

As a mortal now, Shi Qingxuan would age, follow the life and death cycle. When he was reborn, would He Xuan be able to find him? Would he have an easier fate? Would he be the Shi Qingxuan that he knew all those years? The Young Master Xiao Xingchen that he had met by chance that day in the mountains? Or the Feng-ge beside him?

谁拿新欢渡旧爱 _Who takes the new lover to bury old love_

He thought of Yuan Yu. Then he gazed up at the sleeping boy only a couple years older than his current manifestation. He felt the black pouch in his robes.

将回忆掩埋 _Bury memories_

浑浑噩噩终究不明白 _So muddy, I do not understand_

世间太多无奈 T _oo much helplessness in the world_

学不会释怀 _Never learn to let it go_

 _谁敢不服命运的安排_ _Who dares to not accept fate_

After all these centuries, was it really possible to bury memories? Even if he could do it, would Shi Qingxuan be able to? The truth would come out eventually. When it did, he wouldn’t be able to stay by his side anymore. There would also come a time when his mortal body would die.

Would He Xuan be able to accept it when it happened?

Or would he be like Shi Wudu and attempt to change it?

These thoughts plagued the ghost’s sleepless repose. He had no answers. But he knew that for now, he wanted to continue hanging on, for as long as possible.

**Human Array**

There was a crackling intensity to the next day’s atmosphere. A young master had shown up, asking for volunteers. Ol’ Feng paused as he gave a cup of water to an ailing elder near the back of the temple. He couldn’t quite make out what they were saying.

“Hey hey hey! Everyone, hear me out! HEAR ME OUT! STOP THAT NOISE! Let’s hear what they got to say first!

They were asking for volunteers for some type of mission. The request was met with a storm of refusals. Ol’ Feng paused, looking at his dangling arm and leg. Crimson Rain Sought Flower attempted to persuade Xie Lian to leave. Just as they were about to depart, Ol’Feng hobbled forward. He brushed his hair out of his face and smiled.

“WAIT! WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT! I’LL GO! The people you seek, as long as they’re alive it’s fine, right? Broken limbs won’t be a problem, right?”

As the old friends reacquainted themselves and discussed the situations and terms. Other beggars huddled around, crowding the temple entrance. Now that one of them had stood up, they were also interested. Xie Lian’s focus was solely on the matter at hand and on Shi Qingxuan.

Crimson Rain Sought Flower, however, had noticed the small boy in the back with a cool expression. Their eyes met and he recognized him immediately. Xie Lian said the name ‘Black Water’ and Crimson Rain Sought Flower’s eyes found his lover and then narrowed back at the beggar boy. Xie Lian asked if Black Water had changed his fate.

“This wasn’t him either. How do I say...there’s some carelessness here and some really bad luck there. This was all my doing. In any case, it has nothing to do with him. I haven’t seen him since either.”

He Xuan listened to Shi Qingxuan’s account of being ditched in the capital instead of walking all the way himself from Luoyang. But in between leaving Nether Water Manor and arriving in the Royal Capital, he had two fevers, so it stood to reason that his memory of those events, what was a dream and what was a reality was blurred.

After amassing enough beggars for the mission, they started to leave. They checked over the volunteers. The unwilling, the ill, and the very young were left behind. He had started to follow them, but was stopped by an older beggar telling him to stay. “Ol’ Feng will be back. Don’t worry. Take care of the folks here for him.”

Relenting, he continued to care for those in the Temple left behind before slipping away and leaving a clone in his space. Transforming into another beggar with a plain face, he joined the ranks of the human crowd. Crimson Rain Sought Flower’s eyes were sharp and he noticed the addition immediately.

The headache that was the human array began to take shape. He Xuan felt the black pouch in his robes and tied the sash around his waist tighter. He wasn’t alive so he hung out in the background watching the events take place.

Seeing that the array was effective, a band of cultivators, monks, and spell-casters joined the ranks. He Xuan had counted off the numbers himself. It was off. After they recounted, they recognized a young man who turned out to be Xie Lian’s old Master.

Jun Wu came from Mt.Tonglu and the three went back to Heavens, leaving Hua Cheng in charge of the array. A few moments after the three immortals ascended to the Heavenly Court, danger loomed overhead. A meteor shower of fiery rocks was heading for the capital. When it reached it could decimate the entire city.

Shortly after the three immortals left, Hua Cheng also left, promising he would be back. A silver butterfly flew towards He Xuan and whispered into his ear. He listened to the instructions and sighed. As he changed into Hua Cheng’s appearance, he saw the silver butterfly leave the vicinity. When it was time, he came out.

Shi Qingxuan’s head whipped around, anxious as he stared at the red-clad Ghost King and then at the impending meteor shower.

“CRIMSON RAIN SOUGHT FLOWER!!! You’ve finally come back! What the heck were you doing leaving for so long? Have you thought of a way to connect to His Highness? No no no, you best think of a way to help me deal with the situation here first. Do you see all those fiery rocks coming down from the sky? Think fast! Blow a breath or make those endless little butterflies go up and chase them away or something, otherwise we’ll die...”

He Xuan stared at Shi Qingxuan’s fearless expression. Then he said. “Deal with it yourself.”

“Deal with it myself? Don’t joke at a time like this. I’m not His Highness, I can’t understand your jokes. How do I deal with those rocks on my own...”

He Xuan pulled on the boy’s collars and took him out of the array. Using his quick reflexes, Shi Qingxuan closed the gap where he had been. He glanced up at _Hua Cheng_. This rough treatment was familiar. He didn’t have much time to ponder on this trail of thoughts before he was swiftly hit in the back.

He tumbled forward on the ground, rolling a few times before jumping back onto his feet. As he stood up, he stared at his unbroken limbs and the spiritual light emanating from his entire body. He hadn’t felt this good since...

The beggars were all aghast and yelled at _Hua Cheng_. “You can’t just start hitting people!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, I didn’t die. He didn’t really hit me. He was lending spiritual powers!”

He smiled and waved down their concern. Then he turned to Hua Cheng.

“Hua Chengzhu, there’s no need to be like this even if you can’t see His Highness? If you were lending spiritual powers, then do it nicely. I don’t mind eating a few more of those weird tasting candies. There’s no need to hit people alright? Why don’t you focus a bit more on the sky instead. There’s still so many rocks up there...”

Reaching into his robes, He Xuan took out the fan that he had struggled to repair and threw it. Shi Qingxuan caught it with his hand. The friendly, carefree expression left his face as he paled. He turned to Hua Cheng, or rather at the being wearing his form and clutched the fan in both hands.

“Deal with it yourself.”

Shi Qingxuan continued to stare at Hua Cheng until a cry from one of the beggars broke him out the trance. With a twist of his body, he swung the fan open and flew towards the meteor shower heading for the array. The gust of air created a massive tornado that swung the balls of fire and bounced them back towards the Heavens.

They were saved! And the one who had done it was Shi Qingxuan. The beggars all spoke at once, distracting the former Lord Wind Master.

“A God?” “My God, Ol’ Feng, could you actually be a real God?!”

Shi Qingxuan laughed. “Didn’t I tell you all a long time ago? How’s that? Didn’t I say I wasn’t bullshitting!”

“No no no bull! I believe you know! Wow, Ol’ Feng is a God. Let’s all say we know a God. We’ve struck it rich!!!”

“Ol’ Feng, let’s talk, take us flying when you’ve got the time sometimes. Hey!”

He Xuan glanced at the beggars praising and joking with Shi Qingxuan. The expression of shock and confusion had disappeared, replaced with joy. He hmphed and turned away. He transformed back into his other beggar form. Several martial gods and the Rain Master had entered the battlefield to protect the citizens. Spirits from the Ghost City had also joined.

It was complete chaos.

He Xuan kept his eyes trained on Shi Qingxuan. The spiritual energy was running low. The limbs that were fixed were returning to their original state. He tucked the fan into his waist. With great effort, he stumbled over the Xie Lian.

“Your Highness! Is it over? Is everything taken care of?”

Xie Lian nodded. He and Hua Cheng went to search for the missing Heavenly Officials. Most of them were accounted for like most of the martial gods who had fought in the Royal Capital Battle. Pei Ming had been badly injured in the battle. Shi Qingxuan hobbled over to tease him about his burnt form. It was just like old times. Xie Lian’s Divine Statue would help guard the capital. They decided to leave Shi Qingxuan and the rest of those capable hands in charge of the array.

They continued to oversee the Royal Capital when the principal members went in search of Jun Wu. The pandemonium quieted down. He Xuan had heard a great battle between Crimson Rain Sought Flower and Jun Wu had taken place and then one between Xie Lian and Jun Wu.

Xie Lian had won and peace had returned. Everything had seemingly returned to normal. Except Crimson Rain Sought Flower had not returned. The Crown Prince, Xie Lian waited on Mount Taicang for Crimson Rain Sought Flower to return to him.

He was visited by the Martial Gods and other friends like Shi Qingxuan during this period. One year later when Hua Cheng returned and the Puqi Shrine was rebuilt, everyone who was anyone and those who weren’t joined in the celebration.

Shi Qingxuan led his band of beggars into the shrine. Most of them were the ones who had guarded the spiritual array. The clone that He Xuan had left of himself as A-Yang was eating quietly. He heard bits of pieces of conversation as he chewed on a drumstick.

Heaven’s Eye had apparently detected evil essence within Xie Lian. Most of the guests had already understood what the evil essence being present internally meant except for Heaven’s Eye and the beggar known as Ol’ Feng.

Innocently, Shi Qingxuan asked, “What is it? And so? What’s going on? Your Highness, are you really ill? Does Crimson Rain Sought Flower know? He didn’t take care of you?!”

He questioned Hua Cheng seriously. “Crimson Rain Sought Flower, have you checked over his Highness’ body?”

A-Yang began choking on the piece of chicken. Ol’ Feng came to pat him on the back. Rubbing his shoulders, he advised him to slow down. When he turned back to continue his questioning, Xie Lian and Crimson Rain Sought Flower were already gone and he couldn’t continue to investigate.

In the meanwhile, He Xuan’s real self had appeared in the kitchen to eat as much as he wanted. He could only eat but so much as a beggar child to keep up appearances.

A riot broke out during the celebration as Feng Xin and Mu Qing got into an another fight. The beggars had mostly left. When it came to fights between Heavenly Officials, they were merely mortals. He Xuan had already eaten his share and switched with his clone. Grabbing as much food as he could, Shi Qingxuan stuffed it into his robes. Then he grabbed A-Yang and carried him out of the shrine.

“G-Ge’s got you!” He plopped down the road, hobbling with the extra weight in his arm.

“Put me down. I can walk.”

“It’s no problem. You’re as light as a feather! A really super freakishly heavy feather from like a ginormous bird that must be the size of a mountain! Okay, I’m putting you down now.”

He slid Yue Yang from his hip and placed him on the ground. When he noticed the straw sandals coming undone, he knelt and retied the strap. The legs were so thin. The boy hadn’t eaten much at the shrine. He felt a tap on his shoulder. Yue Yang leaned down to tie the elder’s shoes as well.

“HAHAHAHAHA!!!! You don’t have to do that! I can do it.”

“You did it for me. I can do it for you. That’s all.”

“Oh, so you want to return the favor? Then are you going to carry me down the mountain like just now? You’re a kid. It’s nice to be spoiled in a while.”

Yue Yang held out his arms with an expressionless face. “You want to be carried?”

Shi Qingxuan shook his head and placed a drumstick he had saved into the outstretched palm. “Go on. Eat. Ge takes good care of you.”

“I ate enough at the shrine. Keep it for yourself.”

“You always say that, but you always give me your leftovers. You’ve got to be hungry. Just eat.”

“On one condition.”

“What? You’re in a strange mood today. This entire year, you’ve been moody. Some days you will clean the entire temple yourself and other days you’ll just sit there and watch me do it. Sometimes you will sing and dance with the others so we can earn some coins. But any coins we give you, you give to me anyway. People have started laughing at you, saying I should be calling you ‘Ge’.”

“I don’t want to be your ‘Ge’.”

“I wouldn’t let you be ‘Ge’ even if you wanted to. Look at you. If you ever want to be taller than me, then you have to eat and eat. Then grow and grow. Oh, jeez, how did you eat that fast? Did you eat the bone too? There’s not even marrow left. Come here, let’s wash your hands and face, huh?”

He pulled the boy’s hand to nearby river and together they sat on the slope. He dipped the hands in the waters, stroking them gently. Then using a relatively decent rag he had found, he wiped at the boy’s face. Patiently, he dabbed at the face until it was free of all dirt.

“Did he used to do this for you? Your ‘Ge’?”

Shi Qingxuan studied the small hands in his own. He remembered being this size and age while his brother was his current age. _He always seemed so tall. He was always there._

Tenderly, he pushed the hair out of small face. One of the small hands left his and reached into the ragged robes. Yue Yang placed a black pouch with silver waves into Shi Qingxuan’s palm. He glanced from the solemn face and the pouch.

“ _Did you find anything you liked?”_

“ _There was someone else who wanted it, so I gave it to him.”_

“ _If there’s something that you want, don’t just give it to others, Xuan-er.”_

Shi Wudu’s voice echoed in his mind clearer than ever before. Turning his head, he searched for the source, but it was just memory. He stared at the young boy and his memory picked up another few strands of that day. _Eating soup, Ge’s singing, climbing trees, a boy_ _in_ _ragged clothing._

He lifted the pouch up and studied it. _This was the same one, wasn’t it?_

The boy he had known for over a year as Yue Yang, who had followed him everywhere, called Shi Qingxuan “Ge”, and slept beside him, listened to his prattle and whining and rambling…

Not just once, but several times he thought... _You might be…_ But he never allowed himself to complete the thought. He was too fearful of going into the Past. Even a year later, he was still too scared to delve too deep.

The question he had just asked now, too took on a new meaning. Flashes of memories stormed within his unprepared mind. Of an umbrella being held over him, of a tall shadow walking beside him into the Royal Capital, of his ‘Ge’ hugging and soothing his cries when his real ‘Ge’ was already gone.

He stared at the boy. This was who it was. How it began. How they had began.

The person, he had known as ‘the boy from the vendor’, Scholar Xue, Ming-Xiong, Young Master He, Black Water Demon Xuan, and for the past year as A-Yang, stood up. Shi Qingxuan’s words stayed clotted in his throat. Yue Yang leaned forward to say a few words and then left.

Walking slowly, within seconds, he was gone.

In a daze, he stayed by the riverbank until the moon rose to it highest peak and the embroidered waves shimmered beneath the intense scrutiny. _Those words, those words. What did he mean?_ Shi Qingxuan tucked the pouch into his robes. He kept one hand outside of his clothing to make sure it stayed in place and he didn’t lose it.

When he reached the temple, the temple had been cleaned by Yue Yang. He had left sometime earlier, saying that he was going home. The other beggars were sad to see him leave, but of course they couldn’t stop him. No one short of Crimson Rain Sought Flower could stop another Ghost King, but the other beggars didn’t know that.

He pulled a few of them over and repeated He Xuan’s final words to them. The people all shrugged. They didn’t have an answer. When Shi Qingxuan tried to explain their history, his tongue tied. None of it would come out. Finally after suffering a month, pondering over it by himself, he saved up enough coins to buy a stick of incense and prayed at the temple of his brother’s old friend, Lingwen.

Lingwen heard the prayer and placed a paper weight on the papers she had been checking. She descended to the human realm in the form of her old mortal self. Shi Qingxuan was leaning against a tree outside the temple. There was a stone table nearby overlooking a garden. Prospective scholars packed the halls and spent little time in the garden, so they had complete privacy.

“I checked on those records that you asked about. Those people are long gone. Why do you want to know what happened to them?”

Lingwen sighed as Shi Qingxuan’s bedraggled hair, filthy clothes, and broken arm filled the center of her vision. She gave him a detailed account of the information that she had been able to find. The case of the White Jade Manor Massacre that had occurred in a neighboring county near Fugu.

Though separated by over a decade, the case drew speculation that Scholar He’s ghost was responsible. This theory was eventually discredited. Chengcheng County wanted a hero based within their homeland and settled on the vengeful spirit of a scarred servant girl named Jiao Jiao.

Census records for Shen property did have a servant of that name, but all other details were lost. In the mass of confusion of burnt bodies, some bodies where not accounted for. One of those was of the wife of the late Shen Mengyi, Lin Yan. It was unknown whether or not she was spared or shared the same fate as the rest of the Liang and Lin Clan members that attended the banquet.

“He asked me once if I ever thought about what happens to the people I helped. I guess the reason why this left such a strong impression on me is that they joked about naming the baby after me, even though I used an alias.”

Lingwen recalled hearing the young boy who had yet to ascend recounting the story to Shi Wudu. When she had first heard it, she had imagined a similar conclusion to the actual events. She had never bothered to check because she had experienced enough of those at the end of Xuli.

With her hands tucked into her sleeves, a limbless, headless corpse laying in a forest lingered vividly in her mind. It matched another image, the body of Shi Wudu in a coffin. There was only a few of them at the funeral. Even his little brother wasn’t there.

The ‘he’ that Shi Qingxuan spoke of was the other man, the one responsible for Shi Wudu’d fate and vice versa. When she stared into that coffin at Shi Wudu’s body, a feeling that she hadn’t felt in a long time kindled in her core. It was envy. It was that till the end, he held no regret for anything. Lingwen felt the faint weight of the brocade jacket as though it was being currently worn.

“Did he come see you?”

A nod.

“Was it the boy that was always with you when you went to visit His Highness at the cottage?”

“How did you know?”

“I didn’t for sure. Not until just now.” She offered a small smile. “He’s been with you all this time.”

“He left a month ago around the time of...”

“Your birthday?”

“...our birthday...”

Shi Qingxuan reached into his robes and placed a bundle on the table. The cloth was moderately clean. She unraveled the white cloth. There was a black pouch with silver waves. She lifted it up. It was not empty. There was a plain verdant vase, no bigger than her thumb. She took off the cork. Inside, filled to the top, were ashes. She placed the top back on and then placed it back in the pouch.

“...did he say anything?”

“If you can be the phoenix rising from my ashes, then I am willing.”

Ling Wen thought back to a conversation she had with the Crown Prince, Xie Lian about the ring around his neck.

_I’ ve seen things like it before; the very unique ghosts who gift their lovers their ashes. To have love blind your reason and give objects tied to your life to someone else would have many tragic and horrifying consequences. Something like a genuine heart is made to be trampled. All those keepsakes made of ashes, some were stolen by others, some were shattered by their owners. Basically nothing ended well._

Thinking back to Bai Jing, she wondered that if she had succeeded in getting him to become a Supreme if he would have had the foolhardy desire to gift her with his ashes. Would all those who became Ghost Kings be such terrible romantics?

“What will you do?”

Instead of an answer about the future, he rambled about the past. The first meeting at the stall, the second meeting shortly before his ascension, all the years spent in the Heavenly Court, the chances He Xuan spoke of, the misery of Nether Water Manor… He paused and then spoke about the recent year. He stared at the pouch. There was a slight bump where the vase was.

“So, this is the last item he ever possessed as a mortal with the last of his mortal remains?”

Hearing Lingwen speak those words plainly felt like a heavy weight falling on his ears. Shi Qingxuan, beneath all the dirt and grime, his expression and body was easy to read. He was thinking of Shi Wudu as he stared at that object in the middle of the table.

“I never really had a great deal of faith in myself. When we were young, I threw myself into being the ‘perfect daughter’ because I thought I could never measure up to being anywhere as great a ‘son’ as my brother. I just threw myself away in a sense. That was my own fault. But no matter how great I thought he was. Even though he was my brother. Even if it was for me, _it_ wasn’t right. Even to the end, he didn’t make it right.”

The Crown Prince, Xie Lian gave a detailed account of Shi Wudu’s final moments in Nether Water Manor. Indomitable to the end. In such matters as these, who was wronged goes in a circle, overlapping several times. Traditionally, the vengeance cycle would never end. The only times bloodshed was overcome was through an alliance, usually marriage.

Shi Qingxuan’s weary voice continued. “There’s a myriad of feelings that come up when I think of him. I feel like I _should_ hate him. I feel like I could if I tried. But what’s the use? That’s what I think. It doesn’t solve anything, in the end, does it?”

“What will you do?”

After wiping his hands on the cleanest part of his rags, Shi Qingxuan wrapped the pouch back into white cloth before tucking into his robes and tying it tightly shut.

“I already asked His Highness to ask Crimson Rain Sought Flower to arrange a meeting. I took up so much of your time, Lingwen Zhenjun.”

“Not at all. Are you sure?”

“...Even though I’m scared, I’m sure.”

Cupping a single hand forward and bowing, Shi Qingxuan hobbled away from the stone table. Lingwen departed back to her Literary Palace. Leaning back in a chair, Old Pei looked up when she returned to her desk.

“Where’d you go?”

“Qingxuan prayed at one of my temples.”

Pei Ming’s boots dropped to the ground and he was about to get up. Lingwen motioned for him to sit back in his chair.

“He’s got it.”

“Alright, but why did he go to you?”

“Not everything can be solved with strength. Besides, if he needs martial might there’s the Rain Master’s temple.”

Crossing his arms, Pei Ming resumed kicking his feet up on a stool. Offended, he relayed the events of the Burning Capital in it’s entirety again. As the two Heavenly Officials glanced at the empty chair next to the desk, their eyes met. The continued on with their debate, chatting as though it was old times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Sung
> 
> 酒醉的蝴蝶(Drunken Butterfly)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enypYx9-qkE
> 
> 新歡渡舊愛(New lover to bury the old love)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiFM7HPppQ8


	16. Ode to Daozhang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan remembers certain past events and then journeys to Ming Yi's hometown and then Kuizhou.

Shi Qingxuan eagerly swept the stone floors of the Shi Clan Tombs. He Xuan held a small sickle as he stood behind him. Running his thumb along the sharp blade, several unpleasant thoughts crossed his mind.

“Come on and help already. Don’t just stand there. I already gave you a sickle. It’s plenty sharp. You shouldn’t have any problem at all.”

“Why should I help you?”

Shi Qingxuan sighed and plopped into the ground. “Well, I don’t have the groom to come and help. Lingwen says they couldn’t find the groom’s body. So maybe he got eaten and I’m a widow. But I married such an ungrateful, evil man. Oh!, Ming-xiong, your hand!”

He tugged on He Xuan’s arm and pulled him to sit down. Shi Qingxuan took out a small vase and placed the healing balm on the finger. Then he took out a spare white ribbon and tied it around the wound, wrapping it gently.

“It’s not too tight, is it?”

When he didn’t receive a response, he glanced up to find the other man staring at him. With a solemn expression, Ming Yi averted his gaze and responded that it was fine.

“You don’t have to cut the weeds. Don’t mind it. Forget that I asked. I--”

He Xuan picked up the sickle with the other hand and began to diligently cut the weeds that had grown around the graves. After several centuries, not much of the original stonework remained. With persistence, they were able to unearth more of the tomb’s surface and clear it completely in the span of an hour.

He Xuan worked quietly, wondering if he should be offering the degree of reverence he was doing even if it was for show. Soft fabric wiped at his forehead. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shi Qingxuan was wiping at the side of his forehead with a handkerchief.

He folded the handkerchief back up and tucked it into his waistband. Standing up, he proceeded to place the offerings before the stones. Holding one end of a plank, he pulled at the roast pig that Ming Yi had brought. He rested it along with all the rest of the assortment of fresh fruit, sweet deserts, and delicacies.

Shi Qingxuan brushed away the dust from his clothes and resumed kneeling. He Xuan joined him and they bowed once. Lighting the incense, they both sat across from one another as they tossed offerings into the fire. The warmth of the fire cast a cerise hue over his youthful face, complementing the dark lashes and hair.

“Mother, Father, Ge and I are well. I got married a few days ago and I’m probably a widow now. But it’s okay. No harm done. I bought my friend, Ming-xiong to come see you. He’s my best friend. I think you guys would like him a lot. He’s not bad to look at even though he doesn’t smile much. He’s a good guy.”

He looked up. “Ming-xiong, anything you want to add?”

_Greeting_ _In-Laws.._.he thought, but replied. “Rest well.”

“That’s all? Won’t you say something like, oh I don’t know, cool. Your son is my best friend. I’ll take good care of him. I won’t leave him alone. I’ll stay by his side as long as the sky is blue and is in the Heavens and the Earth is beneath my feet and the waters are running through the seas and oceans. Something like that.”

_Sounds like a damn love confession._ “No.”

Shi Qingxuan’s mouthed twisted into a pout. His hands dropped dejectedly into his lap. He Xuan relented.

“Fine, Master and Madam Shi, your son is my best friend. I’ll take good care of him. I won’t leave him alone. I’ll stay by his side as long as the sky is blue and is in the Heavens and the Earth is beneath my feet and the waters are running through the seas and oceans. But only if he stays on my side.”

“What are talking about? Aren’t I always on your side? When have I ever not been by your side?” Shi Qingxuan stood up and sat by him. “Aren’t I by your side now? What do you have to say now?”

He Xuan’s eyes narrowed to their corners as he tossed a few more slips of joss into the fire. _But for how long?_ “You said you’ll show me around after this. Where are we going to go?”

“The grottos, see the peonies, just everywhere.”

As they continued to finish up the offerings, a set of local beggars peered curiously from behind a hill. Shi Qingxuan gestured for them to come out. The group glanced at one another before approaching cautiously.

“If you’re hungry, you can share this. Go ahead. I don’t mind.”

The beggars stared at the plates of offerings. It was the largest amount of food that had ever seen their whole lives. One promised to keep a share for his fellow if he went to gather the rest of their group to share in the bounty. Shi Qingxuan pressed a pear into a child’s hand and smiled.

Together with their heads bowed, the raggedly group bowed their heads and thanked the duo. They were quite tidy and made sure not to leave any bones around. Some took their share and ventured a dozen li away to make sure they didn’t leave any traces around the graves.

The plates too, Shi Qingxuan gave away. By nightfall, all the food had been eaten and the beggars had gone away. Smoothing his palm along the tomb, the white sleeve brushed the smooth granite surface. Beneath the moonlight, the robes gleamed with an unearthly luminosity.

When he turned around, his friend wore a complex expression that was between surprise and… Shi Qingxuan couldn’t quite place the other emotion that it conjured. Ming Yi had always been an easy sort of person to read. He was slow to anger, though easy to irritate. He was kind, honest, considerate.

Shi Qingxuan smiled. He expected to Ming Yi’s usual manner of shaking his head or snarky remark. But Ming Yi said nothing. He walked alongside him into the city in an eerie silence. They passed by a book shop and browsed the selection. Shi Qingxuan picked up the first volume of ‘Journey to the West’ and laughed as he flipped through the pages. This was always one of his favorite stories. He bought the book and was flipping through the pages as they continued their stroll down the street.

He Xuan pushed him to the side to keep him out of the way the busy traffic. “Pay attention.” Shi Qingxuan snapped the book shut and then pulled on his friend’s arm so that they could go to one of his favorite inns. He requested the finest room at the top floor. The host escorted them to a magnificently spacious room on the 4th floor.

Exquisite dishes were bought up and at least 10 bales of wines were set down. Immediately, Shi Qingxuan tossed open the cover and smelled the wine. He poured a cup for each of them. Then he placed his book on the tray, asking if Ming Yi had ever read it before.

“Once.”

“My favorite character is Sun Wukong. Whose your favorite character?”

“Sha Wujing.”

“Really? I would have thought you’d like Tang Sanzang. You remind me of him. I think you’re both so pure and steadfast. Sha Wujing is so scary, but I suppose I can understand why a little. His name does mean “awakened to purity”.”

“Just because he’s the one I chose doesn’t mean he’s the one I resemble most. If anything, you’re the most like Tang Sanzang even if he’s not your favorite.”

Shi Qingxuan’s palms cupped his face. “He is really beautiful isn’t he? Poor thing. Some demon or spirit’s always trying to eat him. Didn’t Tang Sanzang get eaten by Sha Wujing in his previous incarnations? He’s your favorite and you say I’m like Tang Sanzang. Ming-xiong! What are you trying to say? You eat so much too!”

He scooted to the end of his seat. Then he pushed a bowl of fruit from the center to the other diner. He Xuan calmly ate all the fruit and replied as he stared at Shi Qingxuan’s pale face. “I’m still hungry.”

Shi Qingxuan pushed all the dishes in front of him. Ming Yi ate while Shi Qingxuan drank. The moon through the window was quite full and ever since he had tried to follow His Highness Qi Ying’s example of sleeping, he found himself getting sleepy some days out of habit.

“I want to play a game.”

“What kind of game?”

“I don’t know. Maybe something I haven’t played in a long time. As for prizes, it can be the loser has to pay for all the food and board here.”

“I have a game then.”

“Hmm?”

“You have to find me.”

“You want to play hide and seek? That’s too easy. What are you thinking? Really that? Although I really haven’t played that in a long time. Maybe that would be kind of fun.”

Ming Yi had already stood up and gestured for him to do the same. He took out a long white cloth and folded it over until it was just a rectangular strip. Then he placed it around Shi Qingxuan’s eyes and tied it behind his head.

“Wait, why am I being blindfolded? Why can’t it be you?”

“Are you saying that it’s too hard? That you can’t find me? Afraid to lose?”

Shi Qingxuan’s mouth exhaled a soft puff and settled into a pout. “Fine. Let’s play then.” It had been a long time since he ever had to rely purely on his senses. Before his ascension, Shi Wudu made sure his brother stayed on track with maintaining a cultivation practice like himself. So he knew he would probably struggle in trying to find Ming Yi. It was such a large room too.

He Xuan saw Shi Qingxuan stretch out his hands, testing the empty air. He took slow steps forward, relying on his memory of the room. The game could have ended quickly, but He Xuan twisted and turned around the blinded figure, dodging with the martial ability of Black Water.

He hadn’t really considered why he had suggested this game and why Shi Qingxuan’s blindfolded face caused the amount of fascination that it did. He remembered the few dreams he had several centuries before, but no other dreams affected to him to this extent.

Finally he stood still. He wanted Shi Qingxuan to come towards him. He waited. The tops of  the  white shoes took wary steps forward. Closer and closer until almost as if he sensed he was close, Shi Qingxuan stopped. He Xuan’s fingers lingered before the obstructed vision.  The rosy lips parted and then pressed back together. The scent of wine passed between them. He Xuan lowered his head and tilted his face. After all the food, he realized he had yet to drink anything. He was kind of thirsty. 

“Ming-xiong?”

He paused. Shi Qingxuan’s hands patted his shoulders.  He Xuan placed a hand behind the cloth and unraveled the knot.  The fabric slid away from his eyes, over his nose, and  caressed his lips. 

“Do I win?”

Without answering him, He Xuan turned away. Shi Qingxuan’s hands fell from the broad shoulders as he remained where he was. His friend had taken his seat and inside of pouring a cup of wine, he drank straight from the jug.  After he finished one, he drank another. And then another.

***

He Xuan blinked. He was laying on the divan in Nether Water Manor. He rested one hand over his forehead, clutching it as he rose to sit up. Such old memories. Of all the memories to revisit, why that one? But then he chastised himself. _Why not?_

The South Seas were as still as before and though the channels were open, no boats dared approach the waters after being prohibited for so long. This was fine. The Lord of Black Island didn’t want any visitors. Black Water pushed open the doors to the dank cell. The inhabitants fled to the corners, clinging to the stone bricks.

His eyes glanced from the barred window to the wall shackles. Instinctively, he pressed at his side at the empty space where the pouch had resided for centuries. Leaving the door open, he stepped aside, waiting for the inhabitants to flood out the entrance. The huddled masses stared at the open door and warily edged towards the lone exit. Once out, they trampled over one another to seize their freedom.

One lagged behind all the others, waddling with glances to and fro at their former keeper. Crouched down in a squat, he hobbled forward as Black Water accompanied him out of Nether Water Manor. Eagerly, the last inhabitant rushed to the shores, but paused when he heard a cautious ‘No.’

_B_ _ad waters, bad waters._ Hitting his head, he banged the information into memory. _No touching, just looking_. Gazing at the reflective surface, Tang Wei flipped back his hair as it was his customary action at the brothel to attract clients.

When Black Water knelt down beside him, he hid his face with a sleeve, cooing compliments and tossing flirtatious glances in his direction. The gestures, manners, and techniques. Like second nature, he utilized them all, and stared at the unresponsive Young Master refusing his advances. When a hand reached out to touch him, Tang Wei was seized by the less glamorous aspects of his former life. He staggered back, but his chin was still caught.

He Xuan observed the flea-ridden hair, filthy unwashed body clothed in rags that scarcely covered open sores and scabbed wounds. In spite of not switching the fates, didn’t Shi Qingxuan still end up the same way?

“What do you want?”

“Did you enjoy the show, Young Master?”

“What do you want, Tang Wei?”

A flash of understanding simmered underneath the insanity. His feet dug into the sand with the fingers still locked around his chin. He shook his head. “S-scare-d.” Black Water waited patiently for him to continue. “..b-but....w-want...t-to...d-die...”

“Go to sleep then.”

Black Water released his chin and Tang Wei glanced all around, scouting out a nice spot to rest. But there was no other place he desired.  Settling down next to the shore, he closed his eyes.  With a tap on his forehead, he eased into a wonderful, peaceful slumber  and dreamed of the next life. 

H e Xuan considered burying or cremating the body, but decided to just allow for nature's  course to take place. To flow for once with the water instead of trying to stem against the tide. Transitioning to his former mortal self, he left the South Seas and ventured elsewhere. 

Wandering,  he traveled to Xining, the capital of Qinghai. Some of the traditional granite houses of old remained, but much had given way to the popular dwellings of the Central Plains.  Imported timbers from other countries, precious stone hauled from quarries, and sumptuous embellishments.  The cities of ease that Ming Yi envisioned  had come to fruition. 

Xining  was a crowning seat along the trade route, but  the original  Ming Yi was unable to witness it. Likewise, the ruin of his own temples. He Xuan passed by the ransacked buildings stripped of dignity  and splendor. The beams  were in the process of being carried away  for reuse elsewhere  and lay in a pile ready to be hauled by transportation carts. 

In the center of the city, a small vendor lacking customers jumped and called to him immediately. The owner bused a table twice before imploring him to sit. He Xuan ordered two bowls of fried noodles with mutton. He was given two large servings along with a complimentary plate of spiced sausage made of sheep’s blood and barley. 

Chewing the tender meat slowly, he stared at the bowl across from him. Every year, for Ming Yi’s birthday, Shi Qingxuan treated the Earth God to a meal at his hometown. He finished one bowl and then proceeded to eat the other. Best not let it go to waste. 

Approaching him with caution so that he wouldn’t disturb the only customer of the day, he placed a metal cup and pitcher of warm wine onto the table.  His wife came out of the small granite house and greeted the customer and shooed their two children back in the dwelling. In the rush, the girl dropped her bamboo ball. It rolled to He Xuan’s feet. 

The parents immediately apologized and scolded their children for not staying inside. The older boy was closer and he bowed twice. Once for himself and the other for his sister. When he bowed, the girl tucked behind his back, tried to tug on his arm to stop him. She came round and bowed in apology for herself.

He Xuan placed the ball into her hands  and then nodded to acknowledge the apology.  The children were taken back into the house and stayed inside  for  the remainder of his stay. 

“ Are you a tourist, sir?” 

“ Not really. Just passing through.”

“ You seem quite worn-out. Are you alright?”

“...”

“Problem with the missus?” Seeing the young man’s face pale, the owner started to wave his hands as if that would somehow make the question vanish.

“I can’t go back.”

After realizing that the customer was not offended by his prying, the  vendor sat down beside He Xuan. He studied the expression and poured the empty cup full of wine and pushed it over. 

“ Your missus, how long have you been together?”

“Many years.”

He Xuan’s age was in the 20’s, so the  vendor surmised that they were childhood sweethearts.  When he asked for confirmation, the young man also specified that it was  unrequited. 

“Ah.” Another cup of wine was poured for him.  From the few phrases the young man spoke, the owner determined that a grave wrong had been committed and it was not one that would be easily overcome.  Not wanting to give false hope, he said nothing else and just continued sit by the other man quietly. 

Finishing the meal, He Xuan paid for his meal and continued south to Kuizhou. Hordes of scholars packed the inns and streets, dissecting the poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu, and composing their own in drunken stupors. 

Adolescent ushers poured into the streets, urging customers to attend their theaters and song houses. Passing by a bookseller, He Xuan perused through a few of the books. He stepped into the shop. On the shelf were a series of song books. One title in particular caught his eye. The dark green cover was worn making the words difficult to read.

Gingerly, he picked up the book. Bypassing the cover, he found the full title  on the  next page.  _ Ode to Daozhang. _ The foreword yielded a spotty explanation of the source material’ s origins. The newer editions provided a longer prologue, but mostly on the debates of the composer. 

The bookseller came round and since he was bored chatted with the scholar. He spoke quite fast as expected of a westerner and business man . He pointed at the worn book. “That’s the most famous song book in Kuizhou. It’s been around for thousands of years.”

“How can any book be that old?”

“Love.”

He Xuan’s eyes fell back onto the pages he had been reading. The book was indeed full of romantic lyrics, but seeing that he failed to grasp the seller’s meaning, he didn’t respond.

“ The greatest thing in this world that everyone dreams of when it’s neither riches or fame  is romance. Not just first love or true love, but fated love. Once, when my father used to be the companion of a noble scholar, he was able to see an edition of this song book that was at least 1,000 years old. Now I don’t believe all the songs are from the same composer, but if you notice, here this one and that one on the next few pages, these are written by the same person. Very distinct.”

“How can you tell?”

“The composer is from Kuizhou. Notice certain inflections in the written characters. You’d only find that from a native born resident.”

He Xuan had noticed it. He pointed at the songs ‘After a Lifetime’ ‘Grave of Infatuation’ and ‘Heaven and Earth’. “Why did you say these three are written by the same person? It’s been a thousand years. There can be very good imitations.”

“You may be right. But once when I was a child, I heard these songs and I felt a chill go down my back. It still happens. Maybe seeing them on the page isn’t the same as hearing them be performed. You’ll know what I mean if you heard it. There’s a song house down the street that’s performing a couple of these if you’re interested.  Are you interested in the book?”

“I’ll buy two.”

“Two? Are you going to give one as a gift? Need me to wrap it up? What color?”

“ Green.”

As he wrapped up the newer edition, He Xuan asked about the person the songs were written for. The bookseller laughed and scratched his cheek. “Ah, Daozhang?  Now since this is so old, terminology has changed so scholars debate on whether it was used to address those of both genders  or not. People have even debated the composer’s gender too, but the general consensus is while it would have been interesting  if it was a woman, the scholars usually agree that it was a man.”

The bookseller finished wrapping up the books. “As for ‘Daozhang’,” he leaned forward to whisper, “I think it was a man.”

“Why do you say that?”

“ That rare edition I told you about had an extra passage that’s not available in the copies from shops like mine. That passage stated that one of the songs was inspired during a stay in White Cloud Monastery when the composer and ‘Daozhang’ were sharing a room. Most monasteries have rooms available for guests to stay in. It’s those long, plain stone beds that go from wall to wall. Many things can change in this world, but men and women would not be sharing a room.”

“It could have been a woman in disguise?”

“I’ve thought of that. But  the “ta’ in that edition also used the male ‘ta’.  Now if this was true and it was a woman, why not just use the proper pronoun? There are also other subtleties as well,  but you might think I’m being too finicky to name them all. ”

“ You’re really  knowledgeable on this subject.”

“Hmm, my father was a good scholar, but he met with misfortune. This was a topic that he was fascinated by. He was a historian first and foremost and the period of time that he specialized was during that time.  When you study history for even just a little while, the things that fade and the things that  stay the same , you become very aware of it.  Things from the past should be valued. Not thrown away or discarded.  My mother loved that about him, his attention to detail. In fact, she became just as knowledgeable about the Kuizhou Daozhang as my father was.”

He handed the wrapped books to He Xuan and thanked him for his patronage.  Traveling onward, he came by the song house that the seller had mentioned. The list of songs was about to change and the Ode to Daozhang list was on the last song, about to change over. 

“You made it just in time for the last song. Madam Cui sings them really well.”

In the back of the song house, He Xuan stayed next to the pillar.  Two young men shared the stage. One played the flute and the other sat at the zither. 

_ The Heart has his solid rock will _

_so do the mountains have its cover of forests._

_The sky may pour down the misty rain._

_So does the wind blow the clouds away._

_But a string of a bow,_

_it will never serve as a string of a zither._

_This pain of parting, accompanied by the light sound of a flute._

_In this lifetime, I can not repay all of your kindness._

_May in the next life, I could turn into a soil to grow flowers in Spring._

_As the wild goose flies away without a trace,_

_yet the wind carries still the affection._

_Rather than go through life and death,_

_Better we both let go in this mortal world._

_I never wish for everlasting heroic fame._

_Only a good companion to walk with is enough._

_Heart turns as cold as ice,_

_shoulder turns as fragile as wings of a butterfly._

_Right or wrong is not conditional._

_In this lifetime of our shallow fate,_

_I bid farewell to you._

_In our lifetime may be tie our heart again._

_May the bright stars and clear moon shine upon the vast land_

_and you’d be pleased by the harmony of the flute and zither._

A dawning chill trickled down his neck as he gazed at the young man sitting at the zither. He was dressed in all white. His face was lowered to focus on the stringed instrument. It was a handsome enough face, but this was not what unsettled He Xuan. It was just, for a brief moment, Shi Qingxuan’s image overlapped with the zither artist and it was though the events of the previous year did not exist. That it had been wiped clear.

_In this lifetime, I can not repay all of your kindness._

_May in the next life, I could turn into soil to grow flowers in Spring._

He Xuan  applauded at the song’s end. He stayed for the encore as well. Madam Cui was too tired to sing anymore, so the flutist sang while the zither accompanied his vocal.  As lovely and experienced as Madam Cui’s voice was, the somber young man’s voice seemed to haunt the audience more. Everyone in Kuizhou knew the Ode to Daozhang and most of those present agreed that the composer was a man. 

And yet while the majority of the attention was on the singer, He Xuan’s focus never left the zither player. Unaccustomed to the attention, the player felt the intense stare and looked up. His eyes widened, but then he smiled.  He knew this man or rather he had known him once a long time ago. It  was Ming Yue. 

He Xuan stayed until the all the other guest dwindled and he was the last one left. He supposed that Ming Yi’s wishes had come true, but yet again he wasn’t present to witness it.  He had been given the credit of killing Ming Yi. After leaving the chaos in Banyue, by the time He Xuan arrived, the genuine Earth Master was already dead. Outside of Paradise Manor, on it’s grounds, Ming Yi’s body laid in a crumpled pile of flesh and bone.  After the revelations about Jun Wu, he surmised that perhaps the former Martial Emperor was the culprit. But in truth, the one responsible for Ming Yi’s situation and eventual demise was himself. 

He had done so much, but the satisfaction he expected to feel was not there. He still felt the overwhelming hunger and thirst that characterized his mortal life onward through his afterlife. He left the song house and then strolled through the streets.

He came across a group of children playing a game. They were skipping rocks and singing a rhyme. Where the rock stopped determined what type of spouse they would marry. Centuries ago, Qing-er, his Qing-er, used to play a similar type of game as well. A little girl of around six, in a teal dress threw her rock as her friends sang behind her.

_Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,_

_Or what about a nobleman, scholar, stall vendor, innkeeper, or a bandit chief?_

_Oh it's such a lot of things there are and such a lot to be_

_That there's always lots of cherries on my little cherry tree._

_When shall I marry?_

_This year, next year, sometime, never._

_What will my husband be?_

_Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich-man, poor-man, beggar man, thief._

_What will I be?_

_Lady, baby, laborer, queen._

_What shall I wear?_

_Silk, satin, cotton, rags._

_How shall I get it?_

_Given, borrowed, bought, stolen._

_How shall I get to the Temple?_

_Carriage, wheelbarrow, cart, feet._

_Where shall I live?_

_Big house, little house, barn, nowhere._

When the girl landed, she started to cry. Her answers were “sometime, beggar man, laborer, rags, given, feet, and nowhere. She had consecutively landed on all the worst fortunes. Crying up a storm, she stomped her feet. Within minutes, her sleeves were soaked with tears. He Xuan leaned down and picked up the smooth stone she had thrown and placed it back in her hand. 

“It’s not so bad.”

“That’s cause it’s the WORST! WAHHHHHHHHHH!”

The way the girl whined reminded him of Shi Qingxuan. He took out a handkerchief. A red cloth almost slid out of his pocket and he tucked it back in. He patted the handkerchief around her cheeks to wipe away her tears.

“It’s really not so bad. My sister played this game and she got married to a nobleman, but he was not a good person. And I married a beggar, who is a good person. Good and bad, there’s no true path that cuts them in half. If you marry, let it be a good man, who will be good to you.”

“A-are y-you goo-good to your b-beg-beggar w-wife?” She wipes her tears on her sleeves.

“I promise to be better.”

“Then that means you were bad~!!” The child swiftly stepped on his foot. “You’re a bad man. I’d rather marry the beggar then! Bad man!”

Hearing her call the stranger bad man, the children all picked up their stones to throw them at him, but then he vanished without a trace. Scared, all the children ran away, all the way back home, screaming that they had seen a ghost. But it wasn’t just any ghost, but the Ghost King, Black Water Submerging Ships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Game Song:  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker,_Tailor
> 
> Grave of Infatuation  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k7GZNlDvc  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYfUcMKC5Jc
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_Wujing


	17. We'll Go Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Xuan and Shi Qingxuan reunite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter.

**Third Path**

Taking a break, Shi Qingxuan leaned onto a tree for support. He had gotten used to walking long distances while traveling around the Royal Capital. But the current path he was taking was at least twice the usual distance.

_Almost there,_ he thought. _You’ve got it._

Pushing himself off the stump, he hobbled down the path towards the riverbank. He sat down on the grassy surface and waited. He took up a tiny rock and chucked it into the water. The rock skipped and created waves going in his direction. Quietly, without a sound, a red cloth covered his head. Shi Qingxuan froze as he felt the space on the riverbank being taken up.

“Leave it on. It’s better if you don’t see me.”

The hand that had reached for the cloth fell back into his lap. It was true. Shi Qingxuan wasn’t actually sure how he’d react to seeing He Xuan in his true form. Shivering slightly, he felt something placed on his shoulders. Looking down, it was a black outer robe.

They sat in silence. _Why does this feel like the nuptial chambers of a newly wedded couple?_ Confused as to why his thoughts would automatically venture into that territory, he blew softly at the red cloth. It was opaque, but the material was light, consistent with a fine piece of silk.

_No, no, no, no._ The red cloth started to slide down his face. Quickly it was pulled back and Shi Qingxuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had gotten a good look at the decorations on the cloth when it was sliding down. The silk was embroidered with gold thread. It was a wedding veil. Shi Qingxuan wondered if this was perhaps the fiancee’s veil that she never got to wear.

“...is this hers?

“It’s yours.”

_Mine? Impossible, I’ve never gotten married. Wait, wait, wait. That time, that day. I did. In Hangzhou._ Shi Qingxuan’s veiled head shook side to side, shifting through the events of that day. Suddenly, he stumbled on a question that had him stumped.

He had lost the veil in the Shen Manor, hadn’t he? If this was the same one, then that meant…Thoughts rapidly sped by his mind, supplied with explanations. _But wasn’t he in a separate region? Could have been a clone. Why didn't he say anything? Why would he?_

“That day, you...were you the Groom?”

“It was me.”

Shi Qingxuan thought that there was nothing else that could have shocked him since the revelations of Nether Water Manor. He remembered giggling when he had to bow to the statues of his brother and himself. But if he had to bow, that meant that He Xuan had to as well. The earlier amusement transitioned to one of sorrow. "I’m sorry.” Unlike the first sorry, this was not feather-light, but then heard an echo of Black Water asking, _‘What good is your apology?’_ and he said sorry again and again.

“Stop.”

He Xuan’s voice was soft. It was not the same tone as Ming-Xiong or Black Water. It reminded him of A-Yang. During their time together, the boy’s voice retained a sort of weariness beyond his years. The last few weeks, when he gazed at the unoccupied space that yielded that void, he thought of why Yue Yang left. There was only one conclusion that made sense. He didn’t want to lie anymore.

“What can I call you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t it?”

There were too many identities and He Xuan had chosen every single one. This was why he thought, for once, allow Shi Qingxuan to choose. But this was starting again, though not necessarily anew. It was similar to when a tree had diseased branches that had to be removed to allow for new growth.

“Xuan.”

“A-Xuan? Xuan-Di? Xuan-Xiong? Xuan-Ge? Xuan-Xuan? Xuan-Lang? Oh, that one kinda has a nice ring to it. His Highness calls Crimson Rain Sought Flower ‘San-Lang’ and that demon lady general called General Pei, Pei-Lang? How about that?”

With the veil covering his face, Shi Qingxuan couldn’t see He Xuan’s face twitch at being called ‘Xuan Lang’, but he agreed to it. After this matter was settled, he thought about his own name. None of the variations of Qing seemed to fit. He tried “Feng” too.

“Xuan-Lang.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll call you Xuan-Lang.”

“You want to share a name?”

“We share everything else already.”

Shi Qingxuan started to smile. The tips of laughter was present in his voice. “That’s unique. There’s no one else like us. You’re Xuan-Lang. I’m Xuan-Lang. We’re Xuan-Xuan. We’re also Lang-Lang.” The excitement dwindled to caution. “Xuan-Lang, can I take the veil off?”

“It’s really better if you don’t.” He Xuan sighed. “Do you really want to?”

The head beneath the veil nodded. Using the tips of his fingers to pinch the cloth so that Shi Qingxuan wouldn’t see his hands, he lifted the cloth up. He was going to withdraw his hands as soon as possible, but unexpectedly they were caught by Shi Qingxuan’s quick reflexes.

Holding He Xuan’s hands in a tight grip, he stared at the pale, white hands. He willed himself to get used to it, but he began trembling at the sight. Sweat beaded on his palms. Pulling his hands out of the grip, He Xuan donned a pair of black gloves as the other man continued to shiver.

Once the vision of those hands vanished beneath the gloves, Shi Qingxuan’s shaking lessened and color returned to his face. He wondered if he would ever overcome this fear. It could take a lifetime. Sensing his thoughts, He Xuan tucked his gloved hands into his sleeves.

Shi Qingxuan placed a hand over the pouch. “What are you going to do when I die?”

“If you are buried, it stays with you. If you are cremated, it burns with you. If you don’t like either and you give it back, I’ll give it back to you in your next incarnation and the next one after that.”

“How would you find me?”

“I’ll find you.”

“Would it really be alright like this?”

“Yes.”

“...I’ll keep it for now.”

“Alright.”

“Xuan-Lang?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m not much of a friend now. I don’t have money or a home or anything. I--”

“Didn’t I stay with you before? It’s not so bad. I don’t have any money either.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s right, you owe Crimson Rain Sought Flower a lot of money don’t you? Well, I guess at least I don’t owe anybody money. So that’s good.”

“...”

“Just a couple of poor friends, huh? Peas in a pod. Birds of a feather. A pot with a cracked lid. Raccoons on the same hill. A rabbit with a crooked ear finds the owl missing one. The mouse with no tail makes one of straw given by a rat. The storm has a furious fight with the sun and his friend thunder joins him. The joy of a lantern in the night shocks the robbers and is retained in the same house for generations.”

“Xuan-Lang.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t hide it and force yourself.”

Shi Qingxuan fell silent. Xuan-Lang knew him so well. Since his brother’s passing, he had only cried twice. The first at Nether Water Manor; the second at the Luoyang burial. Though the beggars at the temple knew bits of his past, they did not know the whole of it. He had lived centuries of comfort. What right did he have to burden their limited lifespan with his wretched history. He kept it to himself.

But being with He Xuan opened up old wounds that he thought were healed. The rough scabs fell away and exposed the raw, tender tissue underneath. It was open to the elements, there for all to see.

He Xuan stared at the rippling waters as Shi Qingxuan started crying. The sun had risen high into the sky, emanating enough warmth to stem the vernal chill. There were a few villagers passing in the distance, disturbed by the uncontrolled wailing of a broken limbed beggar wearing a red veil.

_Raccoons on the same hill._

Alright, then. He Xuan decided to sing at the top of his lungs. Now the villagers had two strange sights to witness. A crazed crying beggar and then a crazed singing scholar. He Xuan had chosen one song at random that had come to mind. The moment he began singing, Shi Qingxuan cried harder.

_Destined for a lifetime to live under the sky._

_Destined for a lifetime to be a defender of truth._

_What are the criteria for someone’s success or not?_

_I’m not destined for glory and fortune._

_Love a little bit, have a little affection._

_Life is greed, love, delusion, hate_

_A grudge is nothing but a mutual spear and shield._

_In this vast land, where is my home?_

_Big rivers, north and south, who should be afraid?_

_In this vast land, what would be a legacy?_

When he had finished singing the song, Shi Qingxuan’s decent hand was wiping at the tears streaming down his cheeks and the nose running from the cold. This same hand started to shake He Xuan’s shoulder, hiccuping and blubbering at the same time.

“S-sin-g , s-some (hiccup) t-thing HAP (hiccup) PY!”

He Xuan tried a few more songs. Each with varying degrees of sadness. Some worse than others. It wasn’t his fault that Ol’ Feng had mostly taught Yue Yang excruciating lost love ballads. These were their best sellers.

After receiving more shakes and snot than he could handle, he finally decided to sing a song from his recent travel from Fugu. Perhaps one not known to him. His voice wavered, slightly hoarse, he began to sing again. Before he had finished the first verse, Shi Qingxuan nudged him, wanting to know the title.

“Wine House.”

“...W-wine (hiccup) H-House....”

Taking a gourd out of a qiankun pocket, he pushed it towards Shi Qingxuan. The bright eyes widened and immediately he threw open the cork and tossed it aside, accidentally hitting a random stranger in the road. “Please don’t litter!” The stranger tossed it back. Shi Qingxuan caught it and tucked into his ragged robes.

It was slightly difficult to hold the large jar with one hand. He Xuan helped him hold the jar to drink to his heart’s content. He finished nearly half before putting it down. In order not to disturb the rest of the villagers, they stopped singing.

He Xuan also took out green package and placed it between them, but closer to Shi Qingxuan. He glanced at the package and then picked it up. Unwrapping it, he found that it was a song book. Excited, he flipped through the pages. He had never heard of these songs and was sure the other beggars at the temple would be ecstatic when he brought it back.

Closing the book, he stuffed it into his robes. Then getting up, Shi Qingxuan rose and hobbled towards a series of bare trees. Finding one particular branch that resembled a dragon, he walked back and presented it to He Xuan.

“A gift for you. Since you gave me one.”

“...”

“Ah, you can use it for back scratching. This is a good one, I promise.”

He Xuan stared at the branch and then placed it and the empty wine jar into a Qiankun Pouch. He leaned down and hoisted Shi Qingxuan onto his back. It was getting late now. The sun had gotten tired and was fast sinking below the horizon. Walking slowly he felt the lightness of one arm around his neck and the other swinging against his side.

“This isn’t very romantic...”

“Do you prefer to be bridal carried?”

“It’s okay. We’re not like His Highness and Crimson Rain Sought Flower. We’ve always carried one another on each other’s back. This is good.”

Yawning, Shi Qingxuan’s chin rested over He Xuan’s shoulder. He craned his face up to gaze at the moon and rambled a bit about butterflies skittering over the drifting waters trying to catch the moon’s reflections. He knocked the side of his head on the back of He Xuan’s, murmuring that the loose hair was like the underside of a fox’s fur.

“Some people would trade the fox’s fur for wine.”

“I wouldn’t. I have left all worldly things behind, I do not need money or titles.”

“Are you Li Bi?”

“If I’m Li Bi, then you’re the Crown Prince and you owe me your legs.”

“...” He Xuan adjusted the weight on his back. “You’re hitching a ride on a Dragon and a Phoenix and you ask for more?”

“What Dragon _and_ Phoenix? You’re the Dragon. I’m the Phoenix. If you dare wear the robes of a Dragon and marry the Phoenix, offering a ride should be be no issue?”

The confidence in Shi Qingxuan’s tone wavered and his cheek dropped back onto He Xuan’s shoulder. The vague outline of the vase pressed between them. “Have you ever thought that I might not want to rise as a phoenix if it meant rising from your ashes or anyone else’s?

“I know.”

“Then why?”

He Xuan adjusted the weight on his back. The vase was tucked close to the left side of Shi Qingxuan’s robes. A slight warmth radiated from his mortal heart through He Xuan’s back and into his own.

“Three things. You’ve probably realized the first two.”

“This was the last item of your mortal life and the last of your mortal remains.”

Shi Qingxuan pondered on the other reason as they passed into a grove of flowering trees. Knotted branches craned towards the moonlight, allowing the plum petals to soak in the delicate essence. But alternatively, from another perspective, certain branches dipped towards the earth. Seemingly bowing in shyness or reverence.

He could not figure out the third reason and asked for a hint. He Xuan lifted him up higher on his back so that he could reach the highest branches.

“As I am now, do you think there’s anything left of me that’s mortal, Xuan-Lang?”

Shi Qingxuan pat him on the head. “Of course! When humans ascend, they’re still human. When they fall, they’re still human. You may be a ghost, but you still have your humanity left.” Thinking on this for a bit longer, he was met with silence as a response. He said ‘Oh’ and furrowed his brow. He exchanged the word ‘mortal’ for ‘human’ and came up with ‘humanity’.

His fingertips touched the soft, but chilled rouge petals. Their hue was the same as the edges of a burning flame. A fear struck him and he retracted his hand, afraid to dirty the blossom. The thought that someone like himself, a mere beggar could uphold anyone’s last piece of humanity, like sheltering a single flame from going out, was overwhelming.

He Xuan noticed the hesitation and nodded at the tree branches. “Do you want to pick some?”

“No, if everyone did that, then there’d be no blossoms left.” He smiled. “Looking is enough.”

He draped his arm back over He Xuan’s neck. Briefly he hid his face in the collars of the black robes. Slowly, they strolled through the center of the path. Unlike other flowers, only one blossom unfurled from a single bud. The rolled leaves stayed tight behind, stealing neither the light or the attention.

Leaving the grove, they winded onto an empty dirt path through a valley. This was not the path that Shi Qingxuan had taken on the way to the riverbank. He had taken the easiest road for his injured leg and the fastest so that he would not be late.

“Are you tired?”

“Just a little.”

They crossed into a creek. He Xuan rested him on a low, dry rock. Taking the gourd back out, he cleansed it of the wine and filled it with water. With gloved hands he handed it to Shi Qingxuan. Quenching his thirst, he gave the gourd back while He Xuan used a sleeve to wipe his face.

He thought of the care that Scholar He must have bestowed on his father, mother, sister, and fiancee and glanced down at his hand. Unconsciously, he was pressing his hands against the pouch. His heart beat rapidly.

When He Xuan knelt down, Shi Qingxuan wrapped an arm over his back pulling him into an embrace. Startled, He Xuan’s body stiffened at the touch and his arms hung by his side, not daring to return the gesture. Then he felt a light touch on his cheek, the same motion some hundred years prior that Yuan Yu had done, except this time it was on the opposite cheek.

Shi Qingxuan’s soft breaths by his face reminded him of the young man’s impending mortal life. Feeling the rapidly beating heart, He Xuan’s arms rose and wrapped against the slender back, anxious to experience the thumping through his own chest.

He Xuan was the first to let go. He turned his body and Shi Qingxuan climbed onto his back. The mountain base was vast as he craned his face to gaze at the towering trees. He felt their forms, one powerful, one not, one alive, one not, dreadfully dwarfed by the sentient forms around them. The world was so vast.

“Xuan-Lang?”

“Mmn?”

They approached a plank bridge. Sensing the importance of the impending message, he paused and craned his face to look at the man on his back. Bright eyes, lit with with a matching smile stared back at him.

“When it’s time, come with me.”

He Xuan had already imagined the future. Spending centuries tracing Shi Qingxuan’s soul to find the next incarnation, staying with that mortal life until the end of his or her lifespan, experiencing the death again and repeating the process for a millennia. Of the three options he had given, this was the one that he had chosen for himself as a penance. But Shi Qingxuan had chosen differently.

“We’ll go together then.”

How Shi Qingxuan had come to this decision was that he imagined the same as scenario as He Xuan. Centuries of searching for the next incarnation over and over, an endless cycle whereas each time the wound of separation would be fresh. No matter what the crime was, he couldn’t imagine a lonelier fate. He wouldn’t wish it on an enemy, no matter what crime that person had committed. In this world, where life was fleeting, time passed. You could not possess it. Why hold on to such things as grudges?

As they continued crossing through the forest, He Xuan murmured:

少小离家老大回，

乡音无改鬓毛衰;

儿童相见不相识，

笑问客从何处来。

_I left home young, now old, I return care free,_

_My tongue unchanged, my hair now thinner be._

_Unknown I am to the boys and girls I meet,_

_Smiling, they ask, “Sir, from whence come thee?”_

Shi Qingxuan couldn’t let go of his neck, so he nudged the back of He Xuan’s head with his own and said:

人生四十未全衰

我为愁多白发垂

何故水边双白鹭

无愁头上亦垂丝

_Forty years and not completely in decline,_

_Nothing more to worry about than a few fine white hairs._

_Why then, at the river side, does a pair of white egrets_

_Worry not, when they have nothing more than a dangling_

_thread on their heads?_

He Xuan hmph and leaned his head to nudge back. He was not at all surprised that Shi Qingxuan had answered him with such a carefree poem from an equally carefree poet. It was unrestrained, like the breeze swiftly coursing past their bodies, rippling the creek waters with ease.

It was a long path back to the Royal Capital to where the old temple was. Pondering slightly, Shi Qingxuan began to tell some of the stories He Xuan had missed while he was away. There were some newer renditions of Pu Songling’s “Strange Tales from Liaozhai” and “Marriage Destinies”. He Xuan listened attentively as Shi Qingxuan rambled until he fell asleep. The arm around his neck loosened. Leaning down, he changed from carrying him on his back to his arms.

As he neared the city outskirts, he transformed into his former mortal form. Shi Qingxuan was wrapped in the black outer robe. The rags clung to thin frame. Before he ate, he always tried to make sure others had their fill, especially the young and elderly. During the times when he was starving on days where they had not earned enough busking, he stubbornly refused to rest his body and insisted on cleaning the temple anyway.

He Xuan’s fingers gripped around the sides of the weary body where the ribs protruded beneath the rough clothing. He had implemented a plan early on in the previous year, where he sent clones to bestow coins so they could have enough to eat for a day. One clone after another would fill a crowd and then toss in a couple coins after each performance.

Shi Qingxuan would be so excited that the effort was paying off that He Xuan began to feel regret at the deception. He began to lose himself again as A-Yang. So he stopped and spent more energy into busking. But this too, still felt like a lie.

When they entered the temple, the other beggars gathered around, concerned that Ol’ Feng had been hurt. They stared at He Xuan, having never seen him before. After reassuring one another that he meant no harm, he was allowed to carry Ol’ Feng to one of the temple pillars. Setting him down, he wrapped up the black outer robe like a pillow and rested Shi Qingxuan on it. Before he could leave, Shi Qingxuan grabbed his arm, murmuring in his sleep. ‘I’ll be back.’ He whispered and then he was released. He Xuan cleaned the temple, quickly and efficiently so he could go back to the temple pillar as quickly as possible.

Shi Qingxuan was still asleep. Lifting him up, he placed the head in his lap and then unfolded the cloak to cover the resting body with it. He Xuan slumped against the pillar to allow Shi Qingxuan to curl onto his chest. The broken arm was laying beside his waist. He Xuan picked up the fingers and intertwined them with his gloved one. Shi Qingxuan’s other hand was kept tightly over-top his robes, keeping watch over the treasured keepsake.

He Xuan attempted to move the hand, but Shi Qingxuan shook his head. “...ngh...” He bent his head down to hear what was being said. “...x-xuan-l-lang..c-co..with...m-me.”

“We’ll go together.”

The tension in Shi Qingxuan’s fingers loosened. From the sides, some of the other beggars were peering at them. When He Xuan’s eyes drew to their corners, they immediately looked away. Periodically, they would return to observe to make sure Ol’ Feng wasn’t being taken advantage of. Although they chastised themselves for the ludicrous idea of anyone wanting to take advantage of a beggar.

They gathered round for nightly exchange of songs. Usually at this time, they were taught new songs by Ol’ Feng, but he was sleeping soundly in a scholar’s arms. The scholar offered to teach them one. In his travels, this was one that he had learned in Kuizhou. Ode to Daozhang.

_The Heart has his solid rock will_

_so do the mountains have its cover of forests._

_The sky may pour down the misty rain._

_So does the wind blow the clouds away._

_But a string of a bow,_

_it will never serve as a string of a zither._

_This pain of parting, accompanied by the light sound of a flute._

_In this lifetime, I can not repay all of your kindness._

_May in the next life, I could turn into a soil to grow flowers in Sping._

_As the wild goose flied away without a trace,_

_yet the wind carries still the affection._

_Rather than go through life and death,_

_better we both let go in this mortal world._

_I never wish for everlasting heroic fame._

_Only a good companion to walk with is enough._

_Heart turns as cold as ice,_

_shoulder turns as fragile as wings of a butterfly._

_Right or wrong is not conditional._

_In this lifetime of our shallow fate,_

_I bid farewell to you._

_In our lifetime may be tie our heart again._

_May the bright stars and clear moon shine upon the vast land_

_and you’d be pleased by the harmony of the flute and zither._

“Scholar, I’ve never heard this song before. You said it’s from Kuizhou? Who is it by?”

“It’s thousands of years old. When I asked, no one knew the composer's name, but I know who it was written for.”

The beggars leaned forward, eager to hear the response. Their ears were lifted in curiosity and their eyes widened. Shoulder to shoulder, they peered at the scholar as he recounted the experience of searching for the song’s source.

“Someone who the composer called, _‘Daozhang._ ’”

The beggars all whispered to one another and said ‘Daozhang’ repeatedly. Shi Qingxuan stirred in his sleep and his fingers tightened around the pouch next to his heart. Unconsciously as the others continued the discussion of ‘Daozhang’, he said it as well. Shi Qingxuan’s eyes fluttered and his brow knit together.

Concerned, He Xuan shrugged one shoulder, trying to wake him. As fast as a shot arrow, Shi Qingxuan sprung up, clutching his eyes with his fingers. He stared all around at the temple full of beggars. The confusion disappeared and the harsh breathing returned to normal.

“Ol’ Feng! Don’t scare people like that! Did you have a nightmare?”

Shi Qingxuan was uncharacteristically silent. He tried to remember what he had dreamed, but the images, the voices were elusive, treading gently on the fringe of his thoughts. So, he shook his head. It wasn’t a nightmare.

“It was like that story of the butterfly. Where Zhuangzi dreamed he was the butterfly. Or was he the butterfly dreaming of being Zhuangzi?”

“Ah, I’ve had those before. Once I dreamed I was a pig and woke up in an actual pigpen!” They chatted happily together after Ol’ Feng appeared calm and began talking to the scholar. They rehearsed the song on their own, hoping to sing it for the next day’s busking.

“Xuan-Lang, who did you say it was for?”

“It was for someone called, _‘Daozhang_.’”

“Say it again.”

“Daozhang.”

“Again.”

“Daozhang.”

“Again.”

_Daozhang. Daozhang. Daozhang. Daozhang._

The edges of the dream that were unraveling began to thread themselves back together, coming towards him. But the threads were thin and difficult to see in the darkness. His lips trembled. As he glanced at He Xuan and listened to the lyrics of the rehearsal behind him, he tempered the urge to cry.

He Xuan held out his arms and Shi Qingxuan curled into them, hiding his face so that the others couldn’t see. They simply thought he was going back to sleep. He didn’t want to, but slowly, easily, comforted by the warmth, he drifted back into the same dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heaven and Earth  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1en2cuyNI  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvNpAcIgIOw  
> Wine House  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zU3TVS7298
> 
> 痴情冢 (Grave of Infatuation) Male Vocal  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYfUcMKC5Jc
> 
> Complete List of Busking Ballads in Author References  
> Full Notes under He Xuan Chapter 16.


	18. Author References

**Disclaimers**

All direct quotations are from the translations from Yummysuika. **tgcfmxtx.carrd.co**

Specifically Black Water Arc chaps 102-126; 204-208; 244.

**Notes are organized in this order:**

1\. Music / Ballads List

2\. Story Concepts

3\. Direct Quotations

4\. Author Notes / TGCF = MDZS Characters Parallels

**1.** **Musi** **c**

**Ode to Daozhang**

  * 痴情冢 (Grave of Infatuation)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k7GZNlDvc>

痴情冢 (Grave of Infatuation) Male Vocal

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYfUcMKC5Jc>

  * 一生回味一面 (After a Lifetime)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqNkn-Axsic>

  * Heaven and Earth

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1en2cuyNI>

Lyrics Source

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvNpAcIgIOw>

Heaven and Earth is the theme song to a series from a Gu Long Novel about a hero named Chu Liu Xiang;

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_Liuxiang>




**Busking Ballads**

  * 我读三千遍你 (I read you 3,000 Times)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eTkb2LW4QE>

[English](https://jspinyin.net/2020/11/08/pinyin-lyrics-xiao-hun-%E5%B0%8F%E9%AD%82-%E6%88%91%E8%AF%BB%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%83%E9%81%8D%E4%BD%A0-wo-du-san-qian-bian-ni-%E6%AD%8C%E8%AF%8D/)[ Translation](https://jspinyin.net/2020/11/08/pinyin-lyrics-xiao-hun-%E5%B0%8F%E9%AD%82-%E6%88%91%E8%AF%BB%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%83%E9%81%8D%E4%BD%A0-wo-du-san-qian-bian-ni-%E6%AD%8C%E8%AF%8D/)

  * 倾城一笑 (One Alluring Smile)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9A7PRUq80k>

  * Maiden in Love

  * <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THWCiOz_Q28>

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56jx0crUvm8>

Maiden in Love (Male Vocal)

<http://youtube.com/watch?v=KoDchbOWwS4>

  * Hua Man Lou
  * <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTIEZ-DFhY4>



  * Drinking on Mt. Guan
  * <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfQjO4GTs9g>



  * Mo Wen Gui Qi (Don’t ask for the Return Date)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w30zMYCy9RM>

  * Su Muzhe

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30L9Ccd9MjE>

  * 辭九門回憶 (Nine Door Memories)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brH0dQtUxJ4>

  * Who Remembers Who After a Thousand Years

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWCOyNtn1eg>

  * See the Red Hawthorne Again

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEZdcBhK3aA>

  * 无谅–何昶希 ( No Forgiveness By He Changxi)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt5Fwmkrabc>

  * 酒家Wine House

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zU3TVS7298>

[https://jspinyin.net/2020/07/01/pinyin-lyrics-xiao-a-qi-小阿七-酒家-jiu-jia-歌词](https://jspinyin.net/2020/07/01/pinyin-lyrics-xiao-a-qi-%E5%B0%8F%E9%98%BF%E4%B8%83-%E9%85%92%E5%AE%B6-jiu-jia-%E6%AD%8C%E8%AF%8D)




(Even with one arm and leg, he taught the beggars to dance with a fan too)

燕無歇 (Yan Wu Xie)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qktrDkefBoE>

燕無歇 (Dance Routine)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Ii6zbfPLw>

With Folding Fan Example @ 1:20

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmADJjvM9X0>

  * 天大地大老婆最伟大 (Heaven and Earth Greatest Wife)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEzCSnSm3zo>




**2\. Story Concepts**

**Costumes**

**He Xuan** (Wang Ruichang)

[ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/791929915718306349/?d=t&mt=login](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/791929915718306349/?d=t&mt=login)

**Shi Qingxuan**

[ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/703194929304300659/ ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/703194929304300659/)

**Shi Wudu**

[ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/693765517590606744/?d=t&mt=login ](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/693765517590606744/?d=t&mt=login)

Other Concepts

  * **Timeline**

<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jkLGBG_tfD5otmKJd0EuYdI-GmqqPwDBLapKoYptHjM/edit>



  * **Scholar Backpack Basket**

<http://m.asian-culture-shop.com/Chinese_Traditional_Handmade_Bamboo_Ware_Bookcase_Ancient_Drama_Scholar_Bamboo_Pack_Basket-180368->




  * 爲無爲 (Wéi Wúwéi)

<https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/taoism.htm>

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei>



  * **100 Day**

<https://shufalife.com/culture/traditional-chinese-baby-gifts>

  * **Bird Nest**

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_bird%27s_nest#/media/File:Bird's-nest-soup-Miri-Malaysia.jpg>

  * **Longevity Locket**

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_charm>

  * **Carriage**

<https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/528187862529069787/>

  * **1001 Nights**

Based on 1001 Arabian Nights,

Zhōngdōng translates to “Middle East”

Tale is taken from the film, Arabian Nights.

Originally it is called the “Sultan and the Beggar”.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Nights_(miniseries>)

  * **National Examination**

That I’m aware of, unusually a great deal of travel takes place to take the exam. Here in the story, I just had it take place close to Fugu.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination>

  * **Yamen**

Ancient Courtroom Info

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamen>

  * **Courtroom Example**

Building, Bodyguards, Drums

<https://kknews.cc/zh-cn/history/264z3oe.html>

  * **Shi Qingxuan’s Carriage**

2 Wheels

<https://xchysh.en.made-in-china.com/product/dBeEAZvKyhUS/China-Festival-Chinese-Red-Horse-Carriage-Ancient-Horse-Wagon.html>

4 Wheels

SQX travels in style cause of SWD

<https://www.alamy.com/ming-dynasty-ancient-chinese-carriage-beijing-china-image222560513.html>

  * **Cloisonne**

Short Video

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1NLJw5kfgQ>

Long Video

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nx3BuP4uwM>

  * **Hand Warmers**

<https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-Old-Chinese-Dynasty-Bronze-Cloisonne-butterfly-flower-Ancient-Hand-warmer-/402206902239>

  * **Ming Dynasty Exam Paper Example**

<https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/%E7%8A%B6%E5%85%83%E5%8D%B7.JPG>

  * **Coal Mining**

<http://www.sixthtone.com/news/704/coal-story-china>

<https://www.irocks.com/china-crystalline-treasures-e-book-mining-history>

  * **Mourning Clothes**

<https://ziseviolet.wordpress.com/tag/mourning-dress/>

  * **Bronze Mirror**

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_mirror>

[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/513621532494001086/?d=t&mt=login](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/513621532494001086/?d=t&mt=login)




**3\. Direct Quotations**

  * **Mount Heaven’s Gate Viewed From Afar** (Li Bai)

Translation and Hanzi

[http://www.ebridge.cn/v2/multimedia/detail?fid=4&id=268](http://www.ebridge.cn/v2/multimedia/detail?fid=4&id=268)

Pinyin

<https://chinagrep.com/poems/chinese-poem-%E6%9C%9B%E5%A4%A9%E9%97%A8%E5%B1%B1-looking-at-tianmen-mountain/>




  * **Dao**

Textual Translation Quote

<https://ctext.org/dao-de-jing>

  * **If the Lips are gone, the teeth are cold.**

唇亡齿寒

<https://people.wku.edu/haiwang.yuan/China/proverbs/c.html>

Symbolism and History

<https://ancientchengyu.com/lips-gone-teeth-cold/>

  * **Tyranny is fiercer than a Tiger**

<https://www.theworldofchinese.com/2014/01/a-proverb-explained-tyranny-is-fiercer-than-a-tiger/>

<https://www.chinesethought.cn/EN/shuyu_show.aspx?shuyu_id=4061>

  * **青** **Qing Character Origins**

[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/青#Chinese](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%9D%92#Chinese)




**Chapter 2**

  * **XXC’s Carriage Offer**

Exiled Rebel Scanlations K-San Translation

“I just happened to have seen you, and decided to lend a hand. It’s nothing difficult for me, anyways.”

<https://exiledrebelsscanlations.com/gdc-chapter-39/>

  * “ **A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring.”**

<https://othersidechina.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/a-collection-of-chinese-proverbs/>




  * **Xue Chengmei**

<https://siumerghe.tumblr.com/post/179281336015/ive-always-felt-that-xue-yangs-stylecourtesy>

<https://modao-zushi.fandom.com/wiki/Xue_Yang>

  * **Enemies meet on a narrow road**

冤家路窄 yuān jiā lù zhǎi

<http://www.standardmandarin.com/idiom/literally-enemies-on-a-narrow-road-idiom-fig-an-inevitable-clash-between-opposing-factions>




  * **Rabbit Apples**

Novel and Manhua Xue Yang offers these to A-Qing

<https://twitter.com/koujaaku/status/1293689902165499904>

<https://tasty.co/recipe/bunny-shaped-apple-slices>




**Chapter 3**

**Original Essay by Wang Ao**

(1450-1524). Translation by Elman (2013)

The details and formatting are done to the best of my limited knowledge. Based on the formats based below.

<http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Terms/baguwen.html>

<http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Eight-legged_essay>

  * **Pu Sung Ling**

(changes made to flow with story)

<https://www.ancient.eu/article/1335/the-civil-service-examinations-of-imperial-china/>

Tales of Liaozhai

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Stories_from_a_Chinese_Studio>

<https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2018/10/the-strange-tales-from-liaozhai/>

**Painted Skin** **Adaptation**

In the recent years there has been a lot of cinematic adaptions of “Painted Skin”.

<https://mydramalist.com/680897-painted-skin>

Painted Skin 2020

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WgvHN5G5ak>

Painted Skin Trailer (2008)

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HikBKIG7UaU>

This is another story. I’m not sure if this is an adaption of one of his stories (he wrote hundreds), but it’s still one of my favorites.

This is called “Wuliang”

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVz8qbHX9C0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVz8qbHX9C0)

More info on the Baguwen and other example essays:

<https://wac.colostate.edu/docs/books/kirkpatrick_xu/chapter4.pdf>

  * **County Court Quotes**

Lord of Justice: The Dream of Gold Film (2008)

https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Justice-Dream-Jin-Chao-chun/dp/B074XJWD3Q

  * **A-Qing Quote**

K-San Exiled Rebel Scanlations Chp. 41

<https://exiledrebelsscanlations.com/gdc-chapter-41/>




**Chapter 4**

  * Analects (1:6, 2:10, 14:7, 14:8)

<http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/analects.html>




**Chapter 5**

  * Silk Production

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgWVJGRsC90>

  * Natural Dye Process

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OiG-WjbCQA>

  * White Jade Manor

<https://inzj.zjol.com.cn/ZhejiangFocus/zm/201907/t20190716_10600328.shtml>

  * Ming Dynasty Clothes

<https://www.newhanfu.com/6864.html>

  * Zhu Yingtai Clothes

[http://m.china-cart.com/d.asp?a=China+Traditional+Costumes+Ming+Dynasty+Imperial+Countess+Historical+Clothing+Ancient+Court+Woman+Hanfu+Dress&d=458295](http://m.china-cart.com/d.asp?a=China+Traditional+Costumes+Ming+Dynasty+Imperial+Countess+Historical+Clothing+Ancient+Court+Woman+Hanfu+Dress&d=458295)




**Chapter 8**

Yuanxiao/Tangyuan

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangyuan_(food>)

Recipe Video

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU7hJF5rbek>

Dance Inspiration

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYAmD2qYHA8>

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Cq1ugUIqM>

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=GWd-xEOqENI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=GWd-xEOqENI)

“Drunk” LyricsBy Isabelle Huang

<https://lyricstranslate.com/en/zui-drunk.html>

The first stanza of the song is from the poem by Li Bai.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet_Night_Thought>

Chen (Xiao Xingchen)

<https://dictionary.hantrainerpro.com/chinese-english/translation-chen_dust.htm>

** Ming Yi actually worked for Lin Yan and not Fu Hanyin

**Chapter 11**

Wedding Robes

Groom

[ https://www.newhanfu.com/2955.html ](https://www.newhanfu.com/2955.html)

Bride

[ https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32896029333.html ](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32896029333.html)

[ https://ziseviolet.tumblr.com/tagged/mens-headwear ](https://ziseviolet.tumblr.com/tagged/mens-headwear)

Wedding Altar

[ https://medium.com/@rachel_82473/chinese-wedding-wedding-procedures-costumes-gifts-h%C5%ABnl%C7%90-662cadd36a82 ](https://medium.com/@rachel_82473/chinese-wedding-wedding-procedures-costumes-gifts-h%C5%ABnl%C7%90-662cadd36a82)

Pei Ming “Horse” Proverb

<http://tcfl.tingroom.com/2014/11/5829.html>

**Chapter 12**

Majority of Dialogue is taken from Yummy Suika Translation Chp. 124

[https://tgcfmxtx.carrd.co](https://tgcfmxtx.carrd.co/)

**Chapter 16**

**Idioms**

貂裘换酒 Trade Fox’s fur for Wine

[https://app.ninchanese.com/word/simplified/262877/](https://app.ninchanese.com/word/simplified/262877/%E8%B2%82%E8%A3%98%E6%8D%A2%E9%85%92) [ 貂裘换酒 ](https://app.ninchanese.com/word/simplified/262877/%E8%B2%82%E8%A3%98%E6%8D%A2%E9%85%92)

Hitching a ride on a Dragon and Phoenix

<http://www.standardmandarin.com/idiom/hitching-a-ride-to-the-sky-on-the-dragon-and-phoenix-idiom-fig-currying-favor-with-the-rich-and-powe>

******Li Bi and Crown Prince**

<https://siumerghe.tumblr.com/post/628777222706184192/the-longest-day-in-changan-history-spam-continues>

**Returning Home as an Old Man** By He Zhizhang

Poet He Zhizhang was born in Zhejiang, province where the marriage took place. Same last name as He Xuan.

<https://www.i-immersion.org/a-chinese-poem-coming-home-by-he-zhizhang/>

**White Egrets** By Bai Juyi

Poet Bai Juyi lost the use of his left leg and retired to a monastery near Luoyang.

[https://100tangpoems.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/%e7%99%bd%e9%b9%ad-white-egrets-bai-juyi/](https://100tangpoems.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/%E7%99%BD%E9%B9%AD-white-egrets-bai-juyi/)

**Songs Sung**

Heaven and Earth

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1en2cuyNI>

Wine House

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zU3TVS7298>

痴情冢 (Grave of Infatuation)

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYfUcMKC5Jc ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYfUcMKC5Jc)

**Author Notes:**

Hi Readers,

When I first began writing this, I was going to compile all the notes into a single place. I ended up not doing that and leaving shorter ones at the end of most chapters. These notes are incomplete. But there are things here that aren’t present in the other chapters’ notes.

I decided not to include this as the fourth installment of my other series because this is a mainly a TGCF fic. It does feature enough parallels to MDZS and the previous Roadtrip story., but this can be read as a standalone.

I had the idea for this story a while ago. I just never got around to writing it. / (>_<) \ I guess I really doubted that I could execute the ideas I had in mind.

Hopefully, there is someone who likes it.

Since I used the Black Water Characters as Yi City Crew. Here are my other fun, possibly crack theories on the rest of TGCF. Just fun ideas to think about.

In my mind, I kinda of think of TGCF as the Sequel to MDZS.

There were 3 Arcs in MDZS and there are 3 Arcs in TGCF. The plots and themes overlap quite well.

The first arc in both novels was a self-contained Arc.

Yi City/Black Water Arc have a bearing on the main plot, but can be read separately.

The next two arcs are more tightly interwined.

Mei Nianqing/Jun Wu vs. Hua/Lian = Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao vs. Wangxian

I lean towards Lan Xichen being Mei Nianqing because he goes into ‘seclusion’ because of Jun Wu, who becomes trapped in an immortal tomb.

Also this is not my post, but by another fan and I thought to myself. Someone else would love to see Song Jiyang cast as Mu Qinq.

  
<https://twunroll.com/article/1335944414557073409>

**TGCF = MDZS Theories**

Hua Cheng = Lan Wangji (33 Lashes / 33 Heavenly Officials defeat)

Xie Lian = Wei Wuxian (What he gave to Jiang Cheng / Shackles/ Xianle War/ Book 4 trauma = Burial Mounds)

Xianle King and Queen = Jiang Fengmian / Yu Ziyuan

Mei Nianqing/Jun Wu = Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao

Lingwen= Wen Qing

Pei Ming = Nie Mingjue

Pei Su = Nie Zhonghui

Mu Qing = Jiang Cheng

Feng Xin = Jiang Yanli (She always supported Wei Wuxian the most)

Jian Lan = Jin Zixuan

Cuo Cuo = Wen Ning

Lang Qiangqiu = Jin Ling (Tough Childhood and Coming of Age story)

Quan Yizhen = Mo Xuanyu

Yin Yu = Nie Huaisang (Hiding in plain sight)

Lang Ying = Lan Sizhui

Qi Rong = Wen Chao

Guzi = Rusong

Xuan Ji = Jiao Jiao

Yushi Huang = Qin Su

Yushi Huang’s Father = Jin Guangshan

Heaven's Eye = Lan Qiren

**Story Canon, & MXTX Interview **

**Interview**

<https://kuiqejw.tumblr.com/post/182125268188/mxtx-interview3>

In the above interview, question 25. MXTX states that Heavenly Officials won’t incarnate, so Shi Wudu is gone. Likewise all the rest of the cast mostly too would be if they eased to exist.

So that’s one of the reasons I debated on including this TGCF fic as part of my other series. That answer makes it so final.

Nooooo, Song Lan needs to be reborn!

The series is also separate because a reader doesn’t need to read the “MDZS Sequel” in order to read “The Third Path”.

"MDZS Sequel" ends with the Yi Crew going to incarnate, so this is the exploration of how one of those incarnations would turn out.

It’s an optional 4th Installment to that series.

Thank you for reading. Take care and stay safe!

Forest Ashes


End file.
